Come Out and Play
by MutantC
Summary: Jesse works heroically to save Brennan from Draper and his band of minions.
1. Default Chapter

I am new to this and it is my first fic so be gentle. Like everyone else, I don't own em, I wish I did...but alas do not so don't sue me. It could get a little rough...don't know where it will go. I usually write late at night so who knows on my mood......here goes....

  
  


The rain had begun to fall. Brennan was slightly confused. He didn't quite understand why Adam had called him on his com link and told him to meet the New Mutant here. He rarely sent them out alone on a new call but he had told him it was urgent and that the mutant was in trouble. But why not inside, Brennan thought to himself...Adam knew how much he hated the rain. It made his powers little more than useless and he felt very vulnerable stuck outside on the fishing docks at 2 AM in the pouring rain. "Why Here? And where is this guy, anyway?" Brennan mumbled aloud. He decided that he was either in the wrong place or the mutant was a no show or ... worse ... Brennan didn't want to think about that. He had left the bar as soon as Adam had contacted him and gotten here as quickly as possible. But he had been waiting here in the rain for nearly 15 minutes. The dock was absolutely deserted. He decided to contact Adam.

  
  


"Adam," Brennan called into his com link. After about 30 seconds and still no reply, Brennan tried again. "Adam, this is Brennan, talk to me, I'm freezing out here." Finally Brennan heard a groggy Adam come across the link. "Brennan, Brennan, where are you, it's two o'clock in the morning?" 

  
  


"I am where you told me to be, Adam, where do you think I am? I am soaking wet, freezing, and all alone out here. The mutant you told me to meet never showed, man." 

  
  


Adam shifted out of bed now and called to Jesse on the intercom. "Brennan, I didn't talk to you this evening about a mutant. What are you talking about? Are you OK?" Adam asked. Brennan heard the new concern in Adam's voice and was really confused now. 

  
  


"Adam, you contacted me about an hour ago on my com link ring and told me to go to 115th South at the end of Blue Pier to meet a mutant who was in trouble. What do you mean you didn't contact me? I didn't dream it. In fact, you told me to go to the middle of the pier so that he could see me, but I really don't see how anyone could see anyone. It is really foggy, Adam and I am not feeling too good." 

  
  


"Brennan, is that where you are right now? " Adam was slightly panicked now. He knew Brennan had been set up somehow and he had a good idea by whom. 

  
  


"Yes but ...." Brennan never got the chance to continue. The agents came out of nowhere and had him completely trapped on the end of the pier. As Brennan started to assess the situation he counted at least 15 agents all around him. He was in serious trouble and he knew it. "Adam, I got company, a lot of company. Shit, Adam!" Right at that moment, the last thing Adam heard from Brennan's link was an explosion and Brennan yell out in pain. 

  
  


"BRENNAN!" Adam yelled into the com link. Just then, Jesse came running into Adam's room with Emma and Shalimar right on his heels. "Adam, what the hell? What's wrong?" Jesse saw the look of panic on Adam's face as he yelled Brennan's name into the com link one more time. Nothing. Adam looked up at the team and filled them in. He told them to go get dressed on the double and meet him at the helix. Brennan was in trouble. They had to get to his last location and track him. 

  
  


Emma linked to Brennan with little difficulty. She loved him. Ever since they had seen each other for the first time in the bar the night he tried to save her from the GSA. She even felt sometimes that they were permanently connected. She seemed to always know when something was wrong. She certainly knew it now, even before she got into Adam's room. 

  
  


"Emma, what do you see?" Adam followed here into her room while she dressed. They did not care, it was nothing they hadn't seen before and right now, Adam needed to know as much as he could about Brennan. Emma's last breath was caught quickly in a gasp and she flashed Adam a look that told Adam everything he didn't want to know. As a tear streamed down her face, she told him. 

  
  


"He's hurt, Adam. There's blood, he's really scared. For some reason he can't see. He wants to fight but can't. He is struggling like he's trapped and he is very cold."

  
  


Jesse and Shalimar were in the door behind Adam and Jesse said, "Let's go!"

  
  


Adam whirled around and led his team down the halls of Sanctuary as fast as their feet would carry them towards the hanger and the Double Helix. Adam stopped in the med lab to grab a few items..."just in case" he told himself. The Helix was fired up and out of Sanctuary it flew. Jesse was tracking Brennan's com link. He had a signal and it was moving. "How stupid could Eckart be, Adam? He didn't remove Brennan's ring." 

  
  


"He might have, Jesse. Brennan's ring is not his only link to us anymore. In fact, It is only a decoy. I have a new type of communication device I am trying out on Brennan. It uses a different type of communicator that is not on the same frequency as the rings. It is also implanted under his skin."

  
  


"When did you do that? Do the rest of us have them?" Shalimar asked while scanning her arms.

  
  


"No, Shalimar, Brennan is always going out on calls and since Eckart's last update to Brennan's file that he was wanted dead or alive, I figured I needed some more assurance that I could find him. And besides, he volunteered." Adam explained to the group.

  
  


"Well, let's hope it keeps working because we are nearly on top of him if it is right...there are the docks....Man, is it foggy!" Jesse exclaimed.

  
  
  
  


Brennan awoke in a completely black room. He couldn't see his hand in front of his face and his head hurt terribly. He feared that he had gone blind. "I can't be blind" Brennan mumbled, barely audible. Then he tried to move and he realized that his head wasn't all that hurt. His side burned and deep inside he felt something was wrong. He then figured it out as he remembered what had happened. "Those bastards shot me," Brennan said, aloud this time. He reached for the back of his neck for the familiar little puck that would signify the presence of the governor he knew was there. But no, Brennan didn't feel it. Now he felt a little uneasy. He really thought that he would have felt better if he had felt it because then, at least he would know who had him. Now, he didn't. He knew he had seen agents. It was very foggy, yeah, but they were agents or at least he thought they were. He built up sparks in his hands and the light that it produced soothed Brennan's fears. At least he knew he wasn't blind. But then he also was able to see how much blood he had lost and was continuing to lose. It was strange...he had never been shot before...he thought it would hurt worse...but it didn't...then he realized he was in shock. Man, was it cold! Brennan decided to throw some electricity across the room to see what was there. Maybe he would get lucky and start a fire. At least he would warm up. His bolts hit a brick wall. "Damn!" Brennan thought as he turned a little to face another direction. "OK, now it hurts'" Brennan thought as he threw another bolt at another concrete wall. He continued this until he realized that he was in a concrete cell not more than 20 feet square and pretty god damn deep. He threw a bolt towards the ceiling and saw that it was at least 30 feet above him. But it was wooden. "Wood burns," Brennan thought as darkness consumed him once more...his loss of blood was severe. He used pretty much all of his energy trying to generate electricity and felt himself losing consciousness. "Shit....Adam....Ada.....m.." Brennan lost his battle with darkness and he drifted away with Adam's name on his breath. 

  
  


A light appeared at a small opening above Brennan's tomb. A face peered in with a flashlight that shone over Brennan's dying form. He laughed an evil laugh. "Soon, my young friend....very soon....." He laughed as he dropped the door back onto its frame sealing Brennan back in darkness.

  
  


Jesse landed the helix just as a voice came over the team's com links, "Brennan," everyone was shocked to hear Adam's voice over the link...especially since they were looking at him and knew he was not speaking..."get over to Blue Pier right away...." the voice trailed off only to be replaced by an evil laugh and challenge...."I have him, Adam. But he cuts too easily and he doesn't take falls too well. Who else can I have to play with?" 

  
  


The team looked at Adam in horror but their expressions couldn't come even close to the shock on Adam's face...."Dr. Draper." was all Adam said.


	2. Troubled Waters

When Brennan woke up, he felt worse than ever. He was damp and very cold. He clutched at his side where the bullet had ripped into him. It had left a large tear in his side. He couldn't understand what had happened or where he was. He looked at his left hand and wiped the blood off of it to see if his ring was there. It wasn't. Why would they have removed his ring and not governed him? He had no idea what time it was. They seemed to have taken his watch as well. "Fuck You!!!" he cried out in frustration. "Who the fuck are you? Let me out of this God damn hole, you coward, and face me!" He was desperate. The pain and the cold were almost too much for him to bear and he knew that he would die soon if something didn't change. Just then a light came in from above nearly blinding Brennan. Draper had opened the door at the top of the chamber. Brennan watched a shadow peer in. 

  
  


"My, my now, it isn't nice to swear like that you little fuck." Draper spat. "Let's see if you can recognize my voice. It should be very familiar to you. I was with you when you were young, Brennan. At your darkest moments as a youth, I was there … making them worse. Just as I am here in your final moments making them worse." Draper laughed then and Brennan suddenly flashed back deep into the recesses of his memory where he had buried his childhood. 

  
  


He remembered that shadow now. The small cell they used to put him in. It was wet, too. Just like this one. They were always afraid of his powers so his room was made of rubber and concrete and always wet. He couldn't remember how many times he had nearly died from pneumonia. The doctor who tested him was called Draper. Brennan remembered him. He was heartless, a sociopath by no other word. He didn't care how much he hurt him or any of the other subjects. In fact, he enjoyed watching their pain. Brennan thought that he actually saw him smiling as he watched Brennan scream in pain from the experiments. Brennan wanted to kill the pervert then. He used to dream of how he would. It was those dreams of justice that kept him alive in the chamber when he was young. 

  
  


When he finally did get his chance, he was nearly11 years old. Brennan rarely failed at anything he attempted, and he didn't fail then, either. He put Eckart down that day as well. Damn near killed him, too. He would have if it weren't for the one scientist who had worked with Mason. Brennan later found out his name, Adam. He was the only one who ever showed him compassion. He actually cured him when he was ill and comforted him when he could. Brennan remembered the last time he had seen Draper. The method was simple. Brennan played dead on the floor of his chamber. Draper got a little too close. He was going to govern him again to transport him to the lab; Brennan grabbed the short little piss and choked him down. As Draper woke up, Brennan took great joy in electrifying the water he was lying in and killed Draper where he lay. He waited until the spasms stopped and he'd breathed his last breath. Then, Brennan ran.

  
  


God, that was over ten years ago. There was no way he was standing here looking at him. "NO WAY! I killed Draper, I watched him die!" Brennan cried as loud as he was able. His pain was severe. He realized that he must have been thrown into the chamber. Some of his bones were broken for certain.

Draper cackled a very familiar laugh at Brennan's anguish and mocked him. "Guess again you little fuck. I dreamed of this day for a very long time. You thought you were stronger than me ... smarter. Well you weren't then and you aren't now. You see, do you really think that we only experimented on you pathetic little maggots? Do you really think that? We were experimenting on ourselves the whole time as well. We used you as guinea pigs to find ways to modify us. We saw your powers and wanted them for ourselves. You see, Brennan, I am an elemental as well. Only I am able to control energy... like the energy in my heart to control my sinus rhythms, Brennan. I revived myself after your pathetic attempt to kill me. And the small voltage required in your communication links with Adam," Brennan cringed as he heard Adam's voice come out of a little speaker Draper had with him. "It was so much fun watching you at the pier...how confused you were. Hearing the fear in Adam's voice was icing on my cake. Now, I get to play with you a little more. The time is getting close where elements meet elements, a clash of the titans shall I say, for the tide is comin' in." 

  
  


At that, Brennan heard a roaring noise coming from the shadows of the chamber. The entire room seemed to shake and then a large amount of water began spilling from somewhere above. Very cold water. Brennan felt as though he would be sick. "You sadistic bastard!" Brennan cried out as the force of the water pressed him to the floor of the chamber. His side was on fire and he was so weak. He finally remembered the implant Adam had given him and had hope again. Even if he couldn't hear them maybe they could hear him. He had to warn Adam that it was Draper. Draper was insane. God knows what he had invented in the past ten years.

  
  


"Adam," Brennan choked, holding his implanted arm up to his mouth. "Adam, if you can hear me, it's Draper. He has me in a cellar of some sort. I think it must somehow connect with the ocean because the tide is coming in. Adam, I think he's going to kill me and I know he wants to kill you." Just then, the door from above closed again and Brennan was engulfed in darkness. It was soothing in a way. He wasn't kidding about feeling like he was about to die. He really felt like it. He was incredibly dizzy and extremely tired. He was fairly certain the fall had done some skeletal damage especially around his lungs because breathing was becoming a chore. He was still losing blood but he had no idea how much. The water had mixed with it. 

  
  


"God, he's going to drown me." Brennan kept talking aloud now, trying to keep himself awake. The water was at least a foot deep in the chamber and if he passed out now, he would surely drown. "I gotta get out of here. If I can only just keep treading water. Maybe it will get deep enough to float me up to wherever it is coming in at. Maybe I can get out." Every time he moved he thought he would pass out. The pain from the bullet wound was unbearable. "God, what did he shoot me with?" Brennan thought. To still his budding panic, he began to scan the sides of the concrete walls. It was difficult to see because it was so dark, but his eyes had gotten used to the darkness somewhat, and he was beginning to see shapes. He thought he saw a rather large alcove in the wall where the water appeared to be coming out of. Brennan kept his focus on that. He was treading water now. He could not touch the bottom and he was beginning to float up. The alcove was only about 3 feet above his head now. He figured that if he could not swim into it as the water rose, he might be able to get into it as it receded. But then, what if it didn't recede? Brennan thought. Why was the water getting so deep? What if this is some type of holding tank? No, he couldn't think about that. He would get out. Whatever this chamber was it would not be his tomb. But, God, he was cold. 

  
  


As Brennan was struggling to tread water, he realized that he was beginning to go under it. He was so weak and all of his extremities were numb. He was going to sleep. "Maybe that is not such a bad way to go," Brennan said to himself. He closed his eyes and thought of Sanctuary and Adam and the rest of the team. Water was seeping into his ears, his nose, his mouth, his lungs. He gagged on filthy water with every breath he tried to take in. And with each surge he took to breathe, he sunk further and further under the water. The water didn't seem as cold inside his mouth as it seemed on the outside of his body. He was out of breath and needed to take one but didn't have the strength to swim up to the top. He decided to just breathe it in the rest of the way and it would all be over then. No more pain, no more fear, no more fighting, no more anything. The cold had finally won. He was in severe shock from loss of blood volume, and hypothermia had set deep within his body. Brennan was no longer thinking clearly. Death would come easily and Brennan's short, tortured life would end in a watery grave. 

  
  


He was on the bottom of the chamber when he heard Emma scream at him. "Brennan!" Brennan saw Emma in his minds eye and saw her reach for him through the water. "Come on Brennan! Come on. You can't leave me here. I love you. We all do and we need you. Get mad, Brennan, don't give up. We are coming!" 

  
  


With that, Brennan was startled back to reality. The water didn't feel good in his mouth or lungs; in fact, it hurt. And he didn't want to just die. He wanted to live. He had to live, for Emma, for everyone on the team, for himself … for all of the New Mutants that Draper and Eckert tortured…to finally kill the lunatic that put him here. It took every bit of strength he had but he managed to swim to the top and choked in a breath of air.


	3. Truths Revealed

As Brennan fought to remain on the surface, he noticed that the level of the water had stopped rising. He located the alcove that he was now parallel with. He struggled across the chamber to its entrance. Once there, he realized that there was an opening, about five feet square, but a steel cage blocked access to the tunnel from which the water came. "God Damn it," Brennan cried under his breath. Truth was, he didn't have breath left to do anything let alone yell obscenities. He was, however, able to sit in the tunnel's entrance. While the water was still up to his knees at the entrance, he did notice that there was no more current. The water had ceased to come into the chamber. Here, Brennan remained. He collapsed against the gate, leaning up against it, and passed out.

  
  
  
  


XXX

  
  
  
  


"Emma!" Adam exclaimed. Tears were streaming down Emma's face as she awakened from her trance. "Emma, what happened? What did you see?" Adam continued. 

  
  


"Did you see Brennan?" Jesse interrupted. 

  
  


Emma silently looked at both of them and then at Shalimar, who was too frightened to ask. "You don't have to say it, Emma, it's OK," Shalimar whispered, finally finding her voice deep in her throat. After what seemed like a lifetime, Emma spoke.

  
  


"No, Shalimar, I do have to say it," Emma looked at Adam and Jesse. She was in such anguish. Tears were falling from her beautiful eyes as she was lost on how to describe what she saw. "He's drowning," was all Emma could get out. Adam didn't quite hear her whisper. "What, Emma?" Adam took her arm and gently sat her down on the medical bench in the Helix. "Emma, honey, it's OK, take your time. Tell me exactly what you saw."

  
  


"He is in some sort of chamber, Adam. It's full of water. He is so cold. He was fighting, though, when I left him. I…I …" Emma couldn't continue. She broke down into Adam's arms sobbing beyond even her control.

  
  


Jesse and Shalimar looked at Adam with accusation in both of their expressions. Jesse finally spoke. "Who is Draper, Adam?" Adam looked up at both of them. He didn't realize that they had heard him utter his name earlier. "Adam?" Jesse persisted. Shalimar walked over to Adam and Emma and eased Emma from Adam's arms and cradled her in her own. She was still sobbing. Shalimar was crying now as well while trying to soothe Emma's fears. Jesse was just angry. He had come to see Brennan as his brother. He loved him as one and felt very protective. While Brennan was stronger and more aggressive than Jesse, he was also more vulnerable. Jesse tried to protect Brennan from his erratic tendencies ever since day one. Now, all he knew was that his best friend/brother was in very deep trouble and Adam appeared to be hiding vital information that maybe could help save him. Worse yet, Jesse felt that whatever it was that Adam was hiding would reveal that what was happening to Brennan, was actually Adam's fault.

  
  


Adam looked up at his three remaining kids. He looked defeated in a way and that look frightened Shalimar. She'd seen it before and it usually meant that someone was going to die today no matter how hard Adam tried to stop it from happening. "Draper is Dr. Draper of Genomex and the Breedlove Foundation," Adam began.

  
  


"He works for Eckert?" Jesse exclaimed.

  
  


"No, No, not any more. He's dead, actually, or at least, he's supposed to be." Jesse just looked at Adam in disbelief. "What do you mean he's supposed to be dead?" Shalimar asked. Emma was now beginning to calm down and sat up. Shalimar kept her arm around her.

  
  


"About fifteen years ago, when Brennan was around eleven years old, there was an altercation in one of the experimental chambers at the Breedlove facility in Toronto. Dr. Draper was one of the main scientists working on Project, Elements. He had been working with Brennan for about four years. Brennan's parents brought him into the facility when he was seven years old because his immune system was hampered by his mother's drug use while she was pregnant with him. He was weak and sick and not likely to survive. Project Elements was designed to stimulate the natural growth of the immune system using genetic splicing techniques while applying a small electric charge to the patient's lymphatic system. This procedure stimulated Brennan's bone marrow to begin producing cells responsible for his immune system. But, at the same time, it caused a serious genetic mutation as well. 

  
  


After we sent him back home, Brennan became very disruptive. His home-life was never very stable. His father was a criminal who had done time in prison and was running a drug operation out of their home. Brennan never had the power to fight them before. Let's just say that Brennan had some unexplained injuries when he was brought to Genomex. When he started throwing lighting bolts around his house, his father decided that it would be best not to have him around anymore. He was afraid he would ignite the chemicals he stored in the house for the drug operation. He obviously couldn't go to the police and he was equally afraid of the Breedlove Foundation. Brennan's mother was little more than useless due to drug abuse. Basically, Brennan's father tried to drown him in the tub when he was nine years old. However, somehow during the attack, there was a struggle and Brennan managed to electrocute him." 

  
  


"Brennan killed his own father?" Shalimar asked in total disbelief. Jesse just swallowed hard. He remembered how he blew Brennan off before when Brennan had tried to talk to him about his father. Jesse was running after his own dad because of a disc he stole from Indegen. "Let's not get into who had a tougher childhood right now, Brennan," was all he said to him. Obviously, now, he realized that Brennan's childhood was indeed a lot worse than his.

  
  


"He had no choice, Shalimar. His dad was going to kill him. Brennan's mother proceeded to turn him into Genomex and walked out of his life forever. Dr. Draper took full responsibility for him. He locked him in a 12 x 12 cell that was kept wet and cold to keep Brennan from using his powers against us." 

  
  


"You said 'us'," Jesse accused.

  
  


"Yes, Jesse," Adam admitted. His guilt was now so obvious that Shalimar thought he was going to break down and cry. "I was there too. I let Draper keep him in that cell. I let Brennan get sick, so many times. I let him abuse him. His experiments were so terrible. Monstrous. I was powerless to stop him; Eckert and Draper were inseparable. I never knew what they were doing to Brennan and the others until after it was over. Then, I would sneak into the chambers where the children were imprisoned during the night and do what ever I could to help them." He looked up at them and pleaded with them. "I tried to help him, you know. I did. Brennan was always special to me. Always. But then, one night, I didn't find Brennan in his chamber. I found Draper and Eckert, instead."

  
  


"What do you mean?" Jesse asked. 

  
  


"Brennan had escaped. Except, while doing so, he seriously injured Mason, and he killed Dr. Draper."

  
  


"What?! No way! No, no, no. You just told us that Brennan has killed not one but two people? No. I don't believe you, Adam." Jesse exclaimed throwing his arms out at Adam and looking him straight in his eyes about an inch from his face. 

  
  


"Yes, Brennan killed his father AND Dr. Draper, or at least we thought, Dr. Draper." 

  
  


Jesse was infuriated. "How can you tell lies about him this way?! I thought you were our friend, Adam! And if you are telling the truth, how could you let that happen to a child? To Brennan?"

  
  


Adam was in tears now. He didn't know what else to say. He knew that these truths would come out eventually. He had just hoped that it would be on his terms. 

  
  


"I can't believe you were such a monster, Adam. I can't. I saw you when we went back to 1978. You looked responsible, Adam. You acted like you cared, that you wanted to help people, not hurt them," Emma had finally composed herself and interjected into the argument. Someone needed to calm Jesse down before he went storming the facility below and got himself and Brennan killed. 

  
  


"I looked for Brennan for years. You have to believe me. By the time Brennan had escaped, I had successfully compiled the database we have and I personally got the rest of the kids out of there shortly thereafter." Adam was trying his best to redeem himself. It wasn't working with Jesse.

  
  


Jesse had had enough, "Adam, we will discuss all of this later. Right now, you need to tell me how to get down there to get Brennan out. Emma, you said he was in a chamber full of water? That he was drowning? He can't live that way long. He can't swim! He gets weak in the water."

  
  


"He's also been shot," Emma squeaked. 

  
  


"What?" Jesse exclaimed. "Adam, you said he had an implant. Why can't we talk to him? Why can't we hear him?"

  
  


"The implant was for location purposes only. I told you, Jesse, the GSA levied a hit on Brennan. I needed to have a backup to find him. That's all it was for. And it worked. We are here." Adam explained.

  
  


"But doing nothing!" Jesse argued back. "I'm going down there." Adam stopped Jesse by blocking the door to the Helix. Both Emma and Shalimar were speechless watching the fight between Adam and Jesse. Jesse never fought Adam, except for the time when he was poisoned and Adam kept him from going into the reactor. Other than that, it was Brennan who fought Adam, not Jesse. This was heartbreaking.

  
  


"Get out of my way, Adam, or I swear to God I will go through you," Jesse was out of control with worry for Brennan and anger at Adam. Jesse knew that Brennan would never leave him and he was determined to return the sentiment.

  
  


"Jesse, you can't!" Adam exclaimed while he pushed Jesse back. "There's more that none of you know about Draper! Now sit down, all of you and let me explain why we cannot just go storming that place!" Adam was aggressive now. His kids were all about to be killed if he did not stop them. He feared it was already too late for Brennan, anyway.

  
  


Adam calmed his voice. His tears were obvious now, streaking down his own cheeks. "If Draper is alive, and my guess is, he is, then we have a big problem. What you don't know is what Genomex's goal was with all of you kids." The three were silent now. They intently listened to Adam. Ever since meeting Adam, they wondered about the extent of Adam's involvement in the experiments and what the projects were really for. "The governments, yes, several, were researching genetic manipulations in order to make…" Adam exhaled and looked all three of them in the eye once before proceeding. He stared right at Jesse when he continued. "…To make the perfect fighting machine, the perfect soldier. We lied to all of your parents. And, while we were running the experiments on you, we were developing the final product and using it on ourselves. At least, some of us were."

  
  


"Adam, that doesn't make any sense. Why would you risk that stuff on yourselves?" Shalimar inquired.

  
  


"Ever heard of Dr Jeckl?" Jesse answered for Adam.

  
  


"That's right, Shalimar. Some of the scientists got crazy with the power and they wanted it for themselves." Adam looked at Jesse, who had now walked over to the controls to check on Brennan's position. 

  
  


"So, are you telling us that Draper is one of them? What did he turn himself into, Adam. You said he worked on the Elementals. Is he one? Is he like Brennan?" Jesse was beginning to calm with Adam, but he was growing more and more angry with Genomex, if that was even possible.

  
  


"Yes, he is. Now do you see why we can't just go in there? He will electrify the water Brennan is in and likely kill him in front of our eyes, just like Brennan tried to kill him."

  
  


"Fucking great!" Jesse yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "How are we going to get him out, Adam? What are we going to do?" Jesse seemed hopeless.

  
  


"Don't worry, Jesse, I have a plan." Adam walked over to the control board of the Helix with the three team members on his heals.

  
  


XXXX

  
  
  
  


Brennan startled awake to a yell from above. "Did you drown?" Draper laughed from above. "Or are you hiding?" Brennan thought his voice sounded like that of a madman. Adam had always said that the times when Genomex attempted to alter the DNA of adults, the manipulations eventually caused them to lose their sanity or die, sometimes both. Obviously, this one had just gone nuts. But thinking back, Brennan knew that he always was.

  
  


As Brennan leaned out to see if he could see Draper and the exact position of the door, he slipped off the side and back into the water. "Oh, there you are. Tsk Tsk, you really shouldn't hide from me like that, Brennan. You know, you were always a thorn in my side. But now, you may offer me some type of amusement before I kill you. Your friends are here. I can't wait until they see you and try to rescue you. Then, well, then, we can all play a fun game of cat and mouse." With that, the door closed again and Brennan struggled to get back to the alcove. He was too late, though, the water was already receding and he was too low to reach it. Brennan noticed a current from below the surface now. It was pulling him under the water. Suddenly, Brennan finally realized where he was. That wasn't ocean water nor was it the tide coming in. It had been raining outside when Draper captured him. He was in one of the deep tunnels used to divert the rainwater to the river. He was in a flood-dike, holding tank. The water was being sucked out of the dike into tunnels and eventually to the river. He knew that there was another tunnel down below that was currently open. But he also knew that the current was beginning to pull him under the water again. In his weakened state, he knew that he could not stay above any longer. He was goin' down. He took one last gargled breath and slipped under the surface.

  
  
  
  


XXXX

  
  


Draper sat at his control panel watching the 100 or so television cameras he had set up at various positions around the compound. His plan was coming together. He was going to soon see how the strongest New Mutant team would do against some his toughest soldiers. The rest of the team just had to take the bait and attempt to rescue their fallen warrior. Then, the experiment would finally begin.


	4. Plans

Sorry this has taken so long.Very busy at school.  
  
Thanks for the reviews! I honestly do not know where this is going. It is fun doing this. Remember, I don't own any of them. Maybe Draper.  
  
  
  
"Jesse, get on the computer and check out Genomex and its involvement with the water department. Also, monitor any communications to Genomex involving Mason and old friends. Anything that could be of obvious connection to this." Jesse immediately jumped into the Helix' control center chair and went to work. Adam continued with the girls. "I really think that Draper is working alone, here. But I can't be absolutely sure."  
  
"Wow, I guess we know why Eckhart hates Brennan now, huh?" Emma quietly commented.  
  
"I always knew, Emma. Brennan and I have had long talks at night while the rest of you sleep. Brennan doesn't like to sleep very much and frankly, neither do I," Adam answered. "But right now, we have to concentrate on getting to him safely and neutralizing Dr. Draper. Can you two do that?"  
  
Shalimar and Emma looked at each other and back at Adam. Shalimar spoke first, "Sure, Adam, and after we get Brennan back, then I get to be left alone with Draper for 2 minutes . but, it won't take that long." Shalimar was absolutely serious and Adam knew it. It wasn't anything that they didn't all feel.  
  
"Get in line, Shal," Jesse spoke from behind them. "That fucker's gonna wish he had never been born," he whispered to himself.  
  
"So, what's this plan of yours?" Emma asked.  
  
"Well, if Brennan is below us in that facility, and he is actually in a chamber full of cold water, then I would say that he is in a deep tunnel dike." The team looked at Adam in puzzlement.  
  
It came, of course, from Jesse. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"You see, many areas have poor watershed control. Heavy rains can cause catastrophic washouts and destruction of property. One of the ways municipalities used to control this was by diverting water flow into culvert systems, to holding tanks or reservoirs and then to deep tunnels or to spillways. The tunnels would eventually bring the water safely to a river or other body of water capable of handling the flow." Adam explained.  
  
"So, Brennan's in a sewer?" Emma asked disgustedly.  
  
"In a way, yes. Only, this sewer doesn't go anywhere on its own. It is controlled manually. And, I believe that is where Draper is holding Brennan. We have been experiencing heavy rain for the past few hours now," Adam continued.  
  
"So, Brennan should actually wash down to the river?" Shalimar gulped, knowing how poorly Brennan swam.  
  
XXX  
  
Brennan was swirling. He couldn't tell which way was up and when he tried to open his eyes to see, it was murky and the water stung his eyes. His lungs felt as if they were going to burst, but he refused to give up. "I will not drown. That is not how I am going to die - especially not by Draper's hand - no way!" Brennan thought to himself. He just had to hang on. Eventually the water would go down. It was not coming in anymore, he knew that and with the strength of this current, he knew it was pumping out quickly. Brennan then thought about the possibility of being stuck against the outfall and either being torn to shreds by the motor on the pump or forced against the grates and cut up. He would deal with that if it happened. First things first, he had to continue to hold his breath and stay awake. He was still so cold.  
  
XXX  
  
Draper sat at the control room watching the level of the water in the chamber. He planned on letting the chamber go nearly empty and then turning off the pump. He would let Brennan remain in about one foot of water. That would keep him until the others found the chamber. Draper thought then that Brennan might already be dead. It was a good possibility. Draper knew that he had seriously wounded Brennan when he shot him and that the water had to have weakened him further. Draper hoped he wasn't dead. Really, his fun had just begun and he wanted him to suffer. "Let's just see where the rest of them are," Draper said quietly as he switched screens away from the chamber and to the sky, above.  
  
XXX  
  
"Adam, I have looked everywhere through the Genomex database and on Proxy Blue. If Draper is working with Eckhart, no one knows about it," Jesse informed Adam. "Alright then, let's take her down. Jesse, put her in stealth mode and land her in that field just north of the facility.  
  
"Can Do!" Jesse stated enthusiastically - happy to finally be doing something to save Brennan. "Adam?" Adam looked up from his computer at Jesse. "What if ."  
  
"He's not!" Emma yelled. She had been reading both Adam and Jesse for a while now. "He's alive. I know he is."  
  
With that, the Helix, a stealth ghost, landed. Unseen to Draper and his cameras. Draper frantically searched the skies to no avail. Mutant X wasn't out there. "Maybe my young friend, Mulray, isn't as important to Adam as I thought or . maybe Adam is out there with his freakish kids and I just can't see him. I think it is time to arm my surprises." With the touch of a button, a magnetic force field surrounded the facility and approximately ten miles out in any direction. Another invention the government had him working on . stealthing military bases. If Mutant X was within the perimeter, they belonged to him. Draper laughed at the very concept. What a time they were going to have.  
  
Just then, Draper remembered Brennan. "Time to plug the drain." Draper turned off the pumps to the chamber. According to his float meters, there was approximately 18 inches of water left in the chamber.  
  
XXX  
  
With a gasp, Brennan managed to reach an air pocket at the top of the duct he was in. There appeared to be a ladder of some sort going up what appeared to be a manhole. Here, Brennan was able to breathe. He climbed up out of the water on the ladder towards the top. It was completely dark. He could only speculate where he was. He didn't much care at this point; it was out of the water for now. He could breathe and maybe close his eyes. He was running a fever now. He was fairly certain of that. He still had no idea what time it was or even what day. He figured that not more than twelve hours had passed. At the rate that he was losing blood earlier and how cold the water was, he knew if it were much longer, he would be dead. Brennan was happy about one thing, though. Being he was still alive, he knew the bullet must not have hit anything vital. It just hurt like hell and weakened him severely. Unfortunately, though, it was likely getting infected. One thing Brennan knew also was that he had never been a good sick person. His immune system had never been that great even after the genetic manipulation. He was never able to fight off much on his own ever since the bouts with pneumonia as a child. He needed help, fast. Brennan managed to tie himself off to the ladder using the flaps of his shirt and the sleeves of his coat. It was in no means comfortable, but it would have to do. Brennan needed to rest. He was extremely dizzy. He gave one last ditch effort at communicating with Adam before he lost consciousness. "Adam, help me." But it was only a whisper that drifted up the 25 feet of passageway and was stifled by the manhole cover that was bolted down and tightly secured. 


	5. Crushed hope

Thanks guys, I will keep going.  
  
Brennan wasn't asleep for long. The noise eminating from the tunnel thundered in his ears. It sounded like a freight train echoing from the chamber and duct below. He undid his make-shift sling so that he was free to move. It was still pitch dark but Brennan's eyes had adjusted again and dried out a bit so he was able to somewhat see where he was. Brennan felt his side where the bullet had torn into him. It was still bleeding but it appeared his blood-soaked shirt had formed a permanent seal with his skin. His entire body ached and his abdomen throbbed. He felt like vomiting. He controlled the urge, though for fear of starting that bleeding again. He was having difficulty breathing and his leg really hurt. It didn't seem to move correctly when he tried to get it to climb up the ladder. "Great," Brennan thought to himself. "That's probably broken." He knew he had to climb. It was his only hope of escaping his would-be tomb. Brennan began edging his way up the ladder. It was metal and the rungs were implanted right into the concrete. Some of them were crumbling and Brennan could tell that the manhole he was in was very old. He couldn't use his right leg for much more than stabilization of weight. So, he climbed using only his arms and uninjured leg. He whimpered with each movement. He rested at each rung he ascended. It seemed like an eternity. At times, he thought that he was just going to let go and fall back down into the water. Maybe he would get lucky and strike his head and drown peacefully. Those thoughts, though, were fleeting. His fever was getting worse. This much he knew and he realized that he could not trust his emotions right now. He focused on climbing - one rung at a time.  
  
When he reached the top, Brennan was elated. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he realized there was a top. He thought briefly what would happen if Draper was on the other side waiting for him. He didn't care. As long as he got out of this tunnel and away from the water. He had so much hope as he reached for the manhole cover.  
  
Brennan's elation was squashed, however, when he pushed against it and it did not even budge. "No!" Brennan cried. He pushed again, harder. "No!!!" Brennan yelled. He beat on it with his fist. "God damn it!" Brennan cried at the top of his lungs. It was really just a gurgle, though. He was weak, tired, hurt, and desperate. And now, the only hope he had of getting help was destroyed. He had tried so hard. It reminded him of when he was little. All the times he had tried to escape only to have his hopes dashed by Draper, Eckhart or Adam. "Yes, Adam too," Brennan thought. It was equally his fault that he was here. That he never got to lead a normal life. The horrible home-life he had. Letting Draper do what he did to him." He felt abandoned. Adam had left him alone, again, with this monster, left him alone to die. As Brennan began a slow descent, he thought about all the times he had enjoyed with Mutant X. How he met Emma and how Jesse had become his brother and Shalimar acting like everyone's mother. He cursed himself for his thoughts about Adam. Adam was the only one who tried to help him when he was little. It was really a miracle that he met up with him again in Mutant X. He liked to think of Adam as a father. But because he didn't trust, really, anyone, he loved him as much as he was capable of and questioned him always. Brennan didn't realize that he was drifting into unconsciousness again. He was about ten rungs from the bottom of the chamber when he passed out. His last thought was of Adam and the team. He saw Draper laughing as he attacked the rest of Mutant X. Brennan was helpless mentally, physically and emotionally. He was spent. Brennan plunged the last ten feet to the bottom of the chamber. He connected with the concrete and the water with a crash. He slammed his head against the second- to- last rung on the ladder and accidentally caught his arm on the last one. It halted his complete collapse into the water and managed to keep his now battered head out of the water. Brennan's gurgled breath sounds were barely audible against the roar in his head from the noise in the chamber. In the distance, Draper was laughing, but mercifully, Brennan wasn't able to hear him.  
  
The team exited the Helix once it was on the ground. Jesse maintained a lock on Brennan's position with a portable locator Adam had given him. "Adam, you said that this thing will lock onto the new implant in Brennan's arm right?" Jesse asked Adam, who had remained back at the Helix to control the mission.  
  
"Yes Jesse, why? Is it reading something strange?" Adam replied.  
  
"Yeah, Adam, it still says that he is below us."  
  
"Jesse, if Brennan is in a deep tunnel or dike, he very well could be below you. Just move until it reads that he is directly below you and look for some sort of manmade entrance to the ground or a cave near the location. But everyone, be careful. Draper is sadistic. He also has elemental powers. I don't know what type of damage he could cause any of you. Do not let your feelings get in the way of your wit, OK? Adam warned.  
  
"Yeah, right Adam, what ever you say," Jesse mumbled under his breath. Emma was reading him and flashed him a serious look. "Let's go, it says he is this way. Man, it started raining again - pretty hard, Adam."  
  
"Then all I can say is hurry. Emma, try to get a hit off of Brennan," Adam suggested.  
  
As Jesse tried to read the locator, Emma went into a trance. She searched through fog to find Brennan. He was huddled in a corner - rocking gently - in a fetal position really. He was surrounded by blood and his legs were chained together. There was a large wooden box to his right side. As Emma persisted, she realized it was a coffin. Brennan kept looking up at it. On the other side of him was a butcher knife and AR-15 (assault rifle). She realized he was struggling to remain alive..  
  
"Adam!" Emma cried. "Yes, Emma," replied Adam and Jesse cam back to her side. Shalimar had never left it. "He is still alive, but barely. He is trapped, Adam. He is cold and hurt. He is also frightened. It seems the only thing keeping him from letting go and dying is his desire to kill." Emma exclaimed, obviously distraught.  
  
Jesse just sighed in disgust and walked back over following his meter.  
  
"Emma, that means you were right. He is alive. And we are going to find him. I promise," Adam said.  
  
"Hey, guys?" yelled Jesse. He was standing on the edge of a cliff about 10 feet from its drop-off. "I think I got him." 


	6. The Game Begins

I am trying to get this story finished before read weeks for finals. Don't know if I will. They are coming in short chapters now because I write when I can.  
  
Adam searched the archives of the county desperately trying to find some kind of history on the facility. All he could find was information that it was built in the 1940's to divert water flow from a cliff-side while the highway department built the road below. It also protected the tiny town that formed below due to the highway construction. " Jesse, it appears that there was an elaborate culvert system that kept water from flowing over the side of the cliff and causing washouts of property that used to be below it. It appeared that it was used somewhat for research in water shed management as well. It was apparently abandoned in the late 1950's when an earthquake destroyed the road and the town below. The history trail stopped in 1980 when the facility was sold to a contractor of the federal government." Adam explained to Jesse.  
  
"So what should we be looking for, Adam, according to the meter, Brennan is right below me," Jesse just finished speaking when Shalimar's eyes went feral-yellow. "What's the matter Shal?" Jesse asked.  
  
"Shhh," Shal whispered, "we are being watched." Just then, Shalimar began to run towards the woods.  
  
"Shal!" exclaimed Emma. Jesse turned to stone just in time to deflect a huge rock that had been thrown from the woods away from hitting Emma. "Adam, we got company."  
  
Just as Jesse radioed into Adam about their predicament, Adam heard a noise in the back of the Helix. "Who is there?" Adam asked. No response, just a breathing that Adam thought might be animal. Right at that moment, Adam saw a flash go past him with a horrible growl and then, he saw only blackness.  
  
"Adam .... Adam," Jesse continued on his com-link but no answer came back. Emma was yelling for Shalimar but to no avail. She was no where to be found. "What the hell just happened Jesse?" Emma asked.  
  
"I wish the hell I knew, Emma. But we better get back to the Helix and see what happened to Adam."  
  
"We can't just leave Shalimar," Emma spat.  
  
"Emma, where ever Shalimar went, it is far from here. We have been looking for over 30 minutes. Adam isn't answering and Shalimar is missing. We have to go back."  
  
"But what about Brennan?" Emma cried. "He's right below us. He needs our help Jesse. If you say that it isn't worth staying here to look for Shal cause she isn't answering, then it doesn't make sense to go back to the Helix for Adam. He isn't answering either." Emma reasoned.  
  
"What do you suggest we do, Emma?" Jesse asked.  
  
"Get Brennan!" was all Emma said.  
  
"OK, we will find Brennan and hope that Shal comes back. Look for a hole in the ground or a cave somewhere. That is what Adam said."  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar chased the creature deep into the woods. She thought that it resembled the beast the she and Brennan found in the woods earlier in the month. She could smell him, feel him. She finally caught sight of him entering a cave in the side of the mountain. Shal decided to go back and get Jesse and Emma before continuing. She had been gone for quite awhile and her com-link didn't appear to be working anymore.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam woke up in complete blackness. It was cold and dark and it smelled like a swamp. He was very sore. He checked himself over and realized that nothing was broken. Adam took out his tool-knife and switched on the flashlight. "Oh my God!" Adam exclaimed. He realized he was in a chamber of some sort. "Could I be near Brennan?" Adam wondered. "Brennan!" he began yelling. "Brennan!"  
  
Just then, a hatch from above opened up and a face appeared blocking the blinding light. Adam quickly switched off his flashlight. "Draper!" Adam yelled up. "You psychotic son of a bitch! Where is Brennan?" Adam demanded.  
  
"Now, now, Adam. All in due time. Brennan hasn't been much fun. He was injured too badly during capture. I needed someone new." Draper licked.  
  
"You snake, Draper." You are not going to get anything out of me. You and I go back a long way. You know me better than that."  
  
"No, no, Adam. I am not going to play with you. No, you are going to watch the game with me." Adam looked at Draper with utter disgust. "If you think I am going to sit with you and watch you hurt my kids, my family, you're crazier than I thought you were." Adam spat back.  
  
"Well, Adam, you're not going to have much choice. Your kids are going to play, Adam. I'll be back later. I hope you do enjoy the accommodations I have prepared for you." With that, Draper closed the door and Adam was once again sealed in darkness.  
  
Adam couldn't worry about Draper right now. He realized that this was all some elaborate trap for them. He wondered what Draper had planned, though. This had been a research facility for the government quite likely for at least the past 20 years. The record said it was sold to the government for research with a private contract in 1980. That was about one year after Brennan supposedly killed him. Thinking back now, Adam realized that he had never seen Draper's body taken away. He was elemental. While his heart was stopped when he checked him, it could have easily begun again. Brennan's did after the Pushka incident. But why wouldn't Mason be working with him? Adam pushed these thoughts from his mind in order to think about what to do next. First things first, he had to find a way out of this chamber and get to Brennan. For some reason the com-links weren't working. Draper had likely set up some type of electromagnetic interference to keep them from communicating. He switched his flashlight back on and began searching the chamber again. Adam noticed water beginning to fill the chamber. "It must be raining harder," Adam thought. "God, is this what he put you through, Brennan?" Adam silently asked to himself.  
  
XXX  
  
Draper was content. His plan was coming together. MutantX was here and his system was up and working. It would not be long now before the other two would encounter his invention. The genetic weapons he had worked at perfecting for so many years. They were the perfect test subjects. No one knew they were alive, really. Adam had no family to speak of. Shalimar Fox had a family but she never communicated with them. Kilmartin's family didn't care about him or were so deep in cover that they would never wonder where he was and Delauro was as good as an orphan. Brennan had no one. Yes, they were perfect targets. Proficient fighters, mutants, themselves, and no one would even miss them when they disappeared. He opened the door to Brennan's chamber to check on him. "Mr. Mulwray!" Draper yelled. When he got no response, he switched on his flashlight. "Dead already?" Draper mocked. But upon scanning, he realized that Brennan was no where to be found. "Damn it!" Draper exclaimed. He proceeded to flip some switches to open the gates to the chamber. He figured that Brennan had been sucked into the duct when the he drained the water. "Brennan .... I am coming to get you .... come out, come out where ever you are ...." Draper laughed all the way to the stairwell that led to the pump-room. There, he would be able to access the tunnel where he expected to find Brennan.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam heard a horrible thundering noise and realized that the gates were opening in his chamber. Adam understood how these old water management systems worked and knew that they were all connected. If he began moving between them, he should eventually find Brennan. Adam got up and moved to the tunnel where water was spilling from. Adam shown his light into the tunnel and proceeded forward.  
  
XXX  
  
Brennan awoke to the sound of the gates moving again. It thundered in his head, which hurt like hell, by the way. He vomited on himself from the shock and the pain. He couldn't see anything around him except for a small light that seemed to be coming from the tunnel. 


	7. Holding On

Thanks so much for the reviews! We are not quite done with Draper, yet. Read on.  
  
By the way, still don't own em.  
  
Shal came running back towards Jesse and Emma as fast as she could. She had to tell them what she saw - they had to tell Adam. She saw Jesse and Emma down below her. They looked like they were scouring the landscape. She called to them from about 500 feet away. "Jesse, Emma!"  
  
Emma noticed her first. "Thank God! Where have you been?" Emma started up the hill towards Shal. Jesse remained in the last position the meter had given a reading on Brennan's location; it hasn't registered anything in the past hour. When Shal and Emma reached each other, Emma realized something was wrong. "Shal, what is it? You look like you just ran a marathon!"  
  
Shal was completely out of breath and spoke between bursts of air. "They're here, Emma .. The beasts . like Michael . They're here."  
  
"What? Shal, slow down." Emma flashed her eyes at Shal and sent her a calming feeling. It took immediate effect. "Emma, remember the woods? Brennan and I about a month ago when we found Michael?" Shal explained.  
  
"Yeah, wait. God Shal, what are you saying? There are more of them? Here?" Emma was visibly upset now.  
  
"Yeah, lots, I think . I followed one until it disappeared into a cave. I came back to get you guys. I tried my com link but I don't think it works." Shal continued.  
  
"I wonder if that is what hit us with the rock?" Emma wondered aloud.  
  
"What rock? What are you talking about Em?" Shal asked.  
  
Emma continued, "When you took off by yourself into the woods, Jesse and I were attacked by a rock that was thrown from the direction you ran off to. When we looked around, we couldn't find anything. The meter quit working that we are using to locate Brennan and we tried to contact Adam about 20 minutes ago and can't reach him."  
  
"What? You can't find Adam?" Shal worried.  
  
"No, but I don't think the com links work so that might be the problem." Emma answered.  
  
"Let's get back to the Helix, he is probably there but you just can't raise him on the links. Besides, we have to tell him about the beasts. Have you had any luck with Brennan?" Shal asked.  
  
"No," Jesse said approaching them now. "The meter still isn't working. Guys, we gotta get back and find Adam. Something just isn't right here," Jesse continued.  
  
"You're telling me," Shal said.  
  
Emma didn't like the idea of leaving the last place they thought Brennan may have been. She hadn't been able to get a hit off of him or Adam for the past few minutes and she was scared. She glanced back over her shoulder while following the others. Shal was filling Jesse in on what she saw in the woods. Emma whispered to Brennan in broadband, "If you can hear me Brennan, please hang on. We are coming."  
  
XXX  
  
Dr. Draper made his way to the bottom of the stairway and into the tunnel system below. He entered it one chamber over from where Brennan was. The gates were open for him to go through. He switched on his flashlight and moved across the tunnel into the chamber where Brennan had been and into the next tunnel where Brennan was. The water had completely emptied from the chamber. "Mr. Mulwray . come on now . I won't hurt you anymore .. I promise. Soon your pain will be over. Hahahah,"  
  
Draper had really crossed over completely into an even more psychotic state than he had been before. The excitement of hurting Brennan again and having Adam where he wanted him and finally getting his experiment under way was more than his already fragile psyche was able to handle. Why Mason had placed him in charge of project 'Feral State' he did not know. He was angry at Mason and Genomex and Breedlove for having locked him away - so far away from everyone after the incident with Brennan. But, Draper reveled in his success so far away. Mason had no idea how successful the project was. He was soon to find out, though. He was going to show Mason up with his army of ferals that he created. They were stronger and better than anything Mason had ever come up with and the success of the stealth system was even greater than anticipated. Not only could no one see the facility and 10 miles out in any direction, but no one could get in or out, either. It was a force field to be reckoned with and the biggest invention of his life. Now, he was able to trap Mutant X, Mason's enemy and the best fighting team of New Mutants there were. They would be destroyed by his ferals one by one - all on camera - for Mason and Genomex to see. He would be the hero then. He would be the top scientist, not Mason. He would finally run things. The one little problem with them, though was the ferals had been too unpredictable in preliminary studies. Unfortunately he had to govern them. But he controlled that governor and it was about time to turn it off and unleash them on Mutant X, but first - first, he had a couple of things to take care of.  
  
As Draper approached Brennan, he mocked him. "Poor baby . did you fall down again?" Brennan could barely open his eyes and when he did, all he saw was the light approaching him. He couldn't exactly make out what Draper was saying. He was in a daze and blood was running into his eyes and ears from his head. He thought at first maybe the light was an angel. He knew he was wrong, though the instant the first electrical bolt hit him.  
  
"Ahhhhh," was all Brennan could gurgle. Draper kept the voltage down on the first hit. He planned to turn it up with the second.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhh," Brennan screamed again. This time it really hurt. He was still wet and the current felt like it pulled his bones right out of his body. He wretched forward.  
  
As Draper got closer to Brennan, his madness eminated from him like a beacon. For the first time, Brennan was actually afraid. "Always were afraid of your own powers, weren't you Brennan?" Draper hit him again. Brennan could only whimper this time. "Well, my young friend, while I hate to end our party together . I like watching you suffer . I don't really need you anymore. You see, your friends, Mutant X, well, they're here. All thanks to you, you know. They are trying their best to locate you. I already know that my ferals don't react to electrical charges. So, you have really become useless." Draper was right in Brennan's face now. Brennan could feel the heat from his stinky breath. Brennan managed to speak. "Do you ever brush your teeth, freak?"  
  
This enraged Draper. "You have outgrown your usefulness Mr. Mulwray. Now, am going to kill you the way you killed me - the way you tried to kill me." With that, Draper backed up. Brennan tried to form his own charge but he was still too wet. He only managed to zap himself. Draper laughed at how pathetic he was and began his assault with a low voltage. Brennan gurgled a scream when the constant current began to hit him. It intensified with each second until Brennan's body was convulsing form the shock. Draper continued to laugh as tears streaked down Brennan's face.  
  
Just then, from out of now where, Adam was on top of Draper screaming at him to get away from Brennan. He slashed Draper with his knife and Draper recoiled. Adam then cut him with a quick blow to his face and a kick to the midsection. As Draper was going down, Adam caught him one last time in the head with a powerful kick. Draper fell motionless to the floor of the tunnel.  
  
Adam then looked up and saw what was left of Brennan. He gasped at the shock of what he saw. "Oh Brennan," was all Adam could whisper. He knew in his heart that he had to be dead. He was bleeding everywhere and his body was lurched, caught on the ladder in a very unnatural way. He knew he had fallen. It was obvious. His leg was twisted severely below the knee.. Adam walked up to him and checked for a pulse while stroking his hot head with his other hand. He was elated when he found one. Thready and fast, but the pulse was there. "Brennan," Adam held Brennan's head up and looked into his eyes with his flashlight. "Brennan, it's Adam. I'm here, son. Wake up now. Brennan, wake up." Brennan did not respond. Adam got a closer look with his flashlight at Brennan's eyes. His pupils were not responding equally to light and they did not have the same diameter. Adam knew that Brennan had a severe concussion. He felt his rib cage because his breathing was very wet and raspy. He was struggling to breathe. Adam felt at least three ribs broken. He also saw the bleeding hole in his side and the twisted leg. Adam decided after assessing it to set it while Brennan was unconscious. He couldn't move him with the way it was. It could cripple him forever. Adam, at least, was thinking that Brennan had a forever to look forward to and that was something, anyway. With a 'crack' Adam set Brennan's leg. He checked his pulse again. Still there.  
  
He looked back at Draper laying on the floor. He decided that he could not kill him. He probably would find a way to revive himself anyway. The best thing Adam could do right now was tie him up and get him wet. That would buy him some time to get Brennan out of the tunnel and up to the Helix. They may be able to get out before Draper got loose. After he had tied Draper up and dragged him into some standing water, Adam went back to Brennan and untangled him from the ladder. He decided to drag him to the door where Draper must have come in from. "Come on, son, I've got you now. You are going to be OK," Adam told Brennan as he slowly moved him down the tunnel. He didn't know if he was trying to convince Brennan or himself. 


	8. Hope lingers

Thanks everyone, here we go,  
  
When Jesse, Emma and Shalimar got back to the Helix, they were greeted by quite a surprise. The Helix was trashed. Nothing left in drawers, wires pulled out, glass broken and Adam was no where to be found.  
  
Amidst sighs of disbelief from both Emma and Shalimar, Jesse asked Emma to try. "Emma, try and get a hit off of Adam."  
  
"Jesse, I ..." Emma was distraught.  
  
"Just do it!" Jesse yelled. "Look you two, we got trouble here. I know it is difficult, but Adam is gone and Brennan is probably ..." he didn't finish the sentence. He saw tears in Emma's eyes and Shal was flashing feral. As he approached Emma, in a much softer voice he pleaded with her. "Emma, sweetheart, I know it is hard. We all care about them very much and I know you and Brennan ... well ... I know, OK?" Emma's look of surprise was stifled by Jesse once more. "Emma, you gotta try for him. I know it is scary. I know you are afraid of what you will see, but Emma, we are right here with you."  
  
"Yeah, Em," Shalimar finally stepped back to reality and supported Jesse. She placed a supporting arm on Emma's shoulder and told her to try.  
  
So, Emma tried. She first calmed herself and then thought of Adam and sent her thoughts forward. She saw him. He was cold and very concerned. He was almost scared, Emma thought. He was trapped as well. But Emma didn't think he was injured. Then, she sent for Brennan. From him, she got nothing. When Emma flashed back, she was in tears again.  
  
"Emma, what did you see?" both Jesse and Shalimar said together.  
  
"Adam is trapped. He is cold and scared, but not hurt." Then she whispered, "but I can't find Brennan." She broke down.  
  
"What about Brennan Em?" Shalimar asked, trying to soothe her by petting her shoulder.  
  
"I can't find him anymore, Shal," Emma yelled. "I can't find him. I haven't been able to sense him for the past few hours!"  
  
Shalimar looked at Jesse. "What do we do now?"  
  
Jesse shook his head. "We gotta get inside that facility. I just don't know how. We already studied the building, there are no doors and without schematics, I don't dare phase through, I could end up falling from the roof onto a floor far below or worse, get trapped in the structure."  
  
"Jesse?" Shal inquired. "What about the cave I found? I mean, we know that the beasts were experiments relating to Genomex. What if that is what the government was using this facility for? What if that cave is an entrance into the system for the facility?"  
  
"What if it isn't and it is just merely their lair?" Emma joined in now.  
  
"Well, don't you think it is at least worth a look?" Shal pleaded.  
  
"Yeah, it's better than anything I've got. Let's go. Emma? You ready?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"OK then, let's go. But, rules, no one runs off by themselves (Jesse glanced at Shal), and everyone pays attention all the time (He looked at Emma). Where one goes, we all go. Got it? Good."  
  
XXX  
  
Draper began to wake up. His face really hurt and his head was throbbing. He realized he was tied. "Damn it!" He was wet but decided to use his powers to undo the ties. "How could Adam have overlooked my ability to do this?" Draper laughed to himself as he sent a short charge to the fabric holding his hands together. He received a little shock but nothing much as the fabric caught fire and burned off his wrists. He was slightly burned, but it only made him more angry. He couldn't tell how long he had been out and his flashlight was gone. He decided that it was time to activate his weapon. He removed the governor-control device from his pocket and flipped the switch. "You may have gotten out of here, Adam, but you can never leave." Draper pulled himself to his feet and began making his way to the entrance to the tunnels.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam had gone up two half flights of very narrow stairs when he decided to take a short rest and check Brennan. They had been moving for about ten minutes and Adam was worried about Brennan's stability. He propped Brennan up against the wall of the stairway and bent down in front of him. His skin was so hot. Adam thought his fever had to be at least 105. Adam swore to himself because he knew that Brennan's ability to stave off a fever was not very good. When he got one, it usually went really high and needed Adam's and Emma's help to come down. The bullet wound being in that filthy water didn't help and infection was likely setting in. Adam looked at his watch and realized it had been about 14 hours since they had lost contact with Brennan. If the bullet had pierced his peritineal cavity, he would be developing peritinitis by now. Adam checked for Brennan's pulse. Still there, a little stronger maybe, Adam thought. But still, it was very rapid. He tried to wake him. He gently ran his hand across his forehead and through his hair. "Brennan?" Adam searched his face for any sign of waking. He tried again. "Brennan? Come on son, try to wake up." Adam was elated when he heard a sound come from Brennan.  
  
"Ad ... Ad .. M" was all Brennan managed to gurgle.  
  
"Brennan!" Adam cried. "There you are. You had me worried." Adam was smiling from ear to ear but that smile was replaced by a look of extreme concern when Brennan began to groan.  
  
"Unh ..." Brennan whimpered. His face contorted in agony. His breathing was rapid now and gargled and he was choking in every other one. "Brennan, Brennan, listen to me," Adam held Brennan's face in his hands and looked him in his eyes. "You have to stay with me. I know it hurts. I know Brennan. But I am going to get you out of here. I'm going to help you. But you have to help me. Can you do that? Can you help me help you, Brennan?" Adam searched Brennan's eyes for a response. He was delirious with pain but he did make a motion of his head that indicated to Adam that he understood. "Good, good Brennan, all you have to do is stay awake for me, OK? Stay awake. I know you want to sleep. I know it makes the pain stop, but Brennan, you have a head injury. Do you understand? You can't let yourself go to sleep. Let me do everything else. OK?"  
  
Brennan's face was streaked from tears. "K, cough" Brennan managed to say and then began coughing again. "OK, time to get the rest of the way up these stairs." With that, Adam grabbed Brennan under the arms again and continued pulling him. Brennan cried out with each step but that was OK. It let Adam know he was still awake. For what seemed like an eternity, he moved Brennan. Finally, they reached the top. The laboratory hallways were in almost as bad of shape as the tunnels. They were unkempt and what seemed like animal waste was on the floor in various places. Once again he set Brennan down. He hadn't heard anything from him in the past couple of minutes and he had not responded to his calls to him. When Adam looked at him, he noticed that he had passed out again. "Damn it Brennan, Brennan!" Adam gently began to shake him to get him to awaken. It was no use. Adam left him there to see if he could find a cart of some sort. He checked in the first lab he came to and luckily found one. He brought it back to Brennan and managed to get him onto it. Now he was able to quickly move him through the corridors, which was a good thing. Adam didn't notice that Draper entered the corridor from the tunnels about one minute after he and Brennan rounded a passageway out of his sight.  
  
XXX  
  
Shal brought Jesse and Emma to the area outside the cave she had discovered. They were nervous the entire way there. Something really didn't reel right about this place. Shalimar especially felt uneasy. "Hey guys? I don't know if we should be doing this. We're not alone." Shal began to hold back for the first time.  
  
"What's the matter, Shal, you wanted us on this trip in the first place to this cave. I agree with you, though. It does seem strange. Emma, do you feel anyone else here besides us?" Jesse asked.  
  
Emma was already in a trance. She startled awake anxiously. "You guys, I found him!"  
  
"Who?" Shal and Jesse asked simultaneously.  
  
"Brennan!" Emma nearly had tears streaming down her cheeks. "He's alive! I think Adam is with him."  
  
"Adam? But how ." Jesse cut Shalimar off, "Never mind how, Emma, where? Can you bring us there?"  
  
Emma scanned the field in front of the cave and then looked back towards the facility. She pointed towards the caves. "There, that is the only way in."  
  
Shalimar was already on her feet and running towards the cave. Jesse and Emma were not far behind. A creature watching them from the woods began to move slowly across the wood line to get a better view of them.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam was quite lost inside the facility corridors. He could not seem to find any way out. There were no 'Exit signs' no emergency maps, not even any offices - just laboratories everywhere. Adam kept peering into them to see if there was anything he could use to help Brennan. There wasn't. Just then, Adam heard something in the corridor head of him. It sounded like a door opening. Adam left Brennan on the side of the corridor and moved quickly and quietly up to where he had heard the noise. He was aghast at what he saw. Moving about 10 feet in front of him and around the corner was a beast. One similar to the beast that they had encountered in the woods a few weeks back - the one that supposedly had been created by NASA. Adam knew differently. This proved it, however, the beast was carrying a gun. Adam was lucky enough to see where it had come out of, though. He went back to retrieve Brennan. When Adam got back, Brennan was awake and trying to sit up on the cart. He managed to fall off of it before Adam could catch him. He grunted when he hit the floor and whimpered. "Brennan," Adam Said. "Son, you can't walk. You have to stay down. How do you feel?" Adam was desperately searching Brennan's eyes for some kind of sign he was doing even a little better.  
  
"I'm fine," Brennan garbled. Adam knew different. "Brennan, your leg is broken and so are some of your ribs. You have a severe head injury and ." Brennan interrupted Adam, "I've been shot."  
  
"Yeah, Brennan, you've been shot." Adam confirmed for him.  
  
"Where are we? Where is Draper? Adam, he is going to try and kill us. He has an army, I think, something . where is he Adam?" Brennan was beginning to panic.  
  
"Shhh, it's OK Brennan. I tied Draper up down in the tunnels and got you up here. Right now we have to find a way out," Adam continued. 


	9. Beasts

Hey all, thanks for the reviews! About the writing errors - I will try to do better. I write these after coming home from night class, usually, and it is quite late. I still don't own them.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam peered around the corner where he had last seen the creature. He still could not believe what he saw and, frankly, he didn't want to believe what he saw. Either it was a madman in a costume or it was a mutated animal of some sort. It really resembled the beast that they had encountered in the woods earlier that month, but something was different about this one. It seemed intelligent and aware - aware like a human was aware and intelligent just the same, but dangerous. Was that a gun that he saw? Adam's thoughts were flying. He had to get Brennan out of there. When he returned to Brennan, he noticed that he had passed out once again. "Brennan. Come one Brennan - wake up." Adam's concern grew greater when Brennan failed to awaken. Adam felt his forehead - still very warm. But when he felt his hands, they were cold. Adam rubbed them vigorously in his own to try and get what blood Brennan still had left to circulate through them. He knew he had to get him moving. "Brennan!" Adam said a little more urgently this time. It worked; Brennan came around.  
  
"Adam?" Brennan mumbled. He was relieved to see Adam again. He thought that he had been dreaming when he saw him last time. But now, he saw that it was real. Adam really was rescuing him from Draper.  
  
"Brennan, stay quiet. We are not alone. We have to get moving, but you have to stay as quiet as you can so they don't hear us. OK?" Adam patiently explained their situation to Brennan. He left out the part about the beasts. Brennan nodded that he understood and winced at the movement. He was shivering from being cold. Just then, Adam heard a noise coming from the hallway behind them. Draper! Adam looked around with the panic of a trapped animal. He pulled Brennan to his feet and stifled his moan with his hand. He moved towards the door from which the creature had come. He kept looking over their shoulders to see if anyone or anything was coming. He heard Draper in the not-so-far distance mumbling to someone about capturing him. He heard him say that he wanted Adam captured and the mutant killed. Adam looked at Brennan leaning on him and thought that, at this point, that goal would not be hard for Draper to meet. When he reached the door, he found it locked. "Damn it," Adam whispered under his breath. "Brennan, do you think you're dry enough to hit that key-card lock?"  
  
"Yeah," Brennan answered and hit the lock with a small charge. It's circuitry fried and failed open. Adam knew that safety codes for government facilities mandated that key-card locks failed in the open position when electrical overload occurred.  
  
"Good job!" Adam praised Brennan. Adam actually saw a little smile trace Brennan's lips when he praised him and the door opened. Adam and Brennan slipped through the door and closed it behind them just as Draper rounded the corner into their hallway. After Draper passed them by, Adam set Brennan down again in the corridor. He was once again facing a stairway. Brennan was becoming more dead weight with each step they took. He had no idea where the stairway went and decided he had to check it out before making Brennan go all the way up. He moved Brennan to a dark corner tucked him away behind the stairway to hide him and covered him with his coat. He promised Brennan that he would be back for him and made him promise that he would stay awake. Again, Brennan acknowledged him with a nod and Adam glanced back at him once more as he approached the steps to make sure he was adequately hidden. He was. Adam cautiously progressed up the stairs.  
  
XXX  
  
Jesse and Shalimar crept into the cave. Emma remained at the entrance, scanning the woods with her broadband trying to find any presence of the creatures. If the creature Shalimar saw really was like the one they had encountered earlier, she doubted she would be able to get a hit off of him. She wasn't able to read that creature at all. When all seemed clear, Emma joined Jesse and Shalimar. "No one is following us," Emma said, "at least, no one that I can tell."  
  
Jesse looked at them both and slowly took lead as they sunk deeply into the cave. It was quite dark inside but there was a glow in the distance that appeared to be a lighted passageway. They proceeded cautiously until they reached the area where the light was. It dead-ended at a metal doorway. "Who would have put this here?" Shalimar asked.  
  
"Well, probably the same person who took Brennan and Adam," Jesse commented. They tried the door. Of course, it was locked. "Lookout everyone. I am going through to see what is on the other side," Jesse said as he began to phase. "I'll be right back." Jesse phased and disappeared behind the door. Emma and Shalimar looked around them and worried about what was waiting for Jesse on the other side. Their worries were eased when they saw him come back through.  
  
"What did you see?" Emma asked.  
  
"Well, why don't both of you walk through and find out?" Jesse taunted as he phased the door. Shalimar was first through, then Emma and Jesse followed behind. On the other side of the door was what appeared to be a very cold, stainless steel and white hallway that led to a series of labs. "This looks just like Genomex!" Shalimar whispered under her breath. "Yeah, except for the filth!" Emma commented as she looked around at the floor and the rooms themselves. "There is excrement all over the place and look at the lights. Half of them are out." Emma continued.  
  
"This place looks deserted," Jesse said as another light flickered behind them in the hallway. "This has to be where Draper is keeping Brennan and Adam. Emma, see if you can pinpoint their location."  
  
Emma concentrated and did manage to locate Adam. "Adam is this way, down the hallway. Follow me!" Emma said as she took off running. However, just as she was running past Jesse, he grabbed her arm. "Wait!" Jesse insisted. "We are still in unknown territory Em!"  
  
"Shhh!" Shalimar warned. Her eyes turned yellow feral and she began to growl under her breath. "Someone's coming."  
  
XXX  
  
Brennan was passing in and out of consciousness. He wasn't sure that what he was seeing was real or a dream, but as he lay there in the corner where Adam had tucked him out of site, he had watched four different things go by him and up the stairway. He thought they looked like animals but they were wearing clothes and talking. Brennan knew he was hallucinating. He had to be. Animals did not walk like humans. But one did - one that he did remember. "It can't be," Brennan whispered to himself. The next one to come through the door, though, seemed to be aware of his presence. The animal stopped and looked around with his nose to the sky - and sniffed the air. Brennan froze. He knew that if this was the same creature, his powers would have no effect on it and he would be captured again. The creature saw him and let out a blood curdling scream and raced toward Brennan. The distance seemed long to Brennan but it was really only a few feet before the creature was on him. He felt it tear at his chest with its claws. Brennan instinctively hit it with everything he had. He felt the electricity flow through his body and smelled the creature's fur singe. It jerked and then stopped moving. It lay on top of Brennan - still smoking - dead. Brennan couldn't muster the strength to push it off of him. So they lay there together. The darkness claimed Brennan once again. 


	10. The Reaper Watches

Hi everyone, I am so sorry it took so long to update. I have been studying quite a bit. But, I took a break to get this out. I love the reviews! Thanks to everyone. This story is going to get pretty complex, I think. I have really trapped them. See you all after finals!  
  
Adam was at the top of the stairs before he heard them coming. There were several footfalls coming fast down the hall directly towards his location. He ducked into one of the doors to an adjacent laboratory just in time as the creatures ran by. There were at least 10 of them. Four others who had come up the stairs after them joined them shortly. Adam noticed a peculiar site at the end of the hall, however, where a couple of them had come from. There appeared to be mud on the floor of the hallway. He investigated further. Bending down by a doorway, he touched the floor - definitely mud - wet mud. Just then, an arm reached out from behind him and covered his mouth. He struggled but was pulled backwards into a room.  
  
"Adam!" Shalimar shrieked while hugging him. "Shhh," Jesse whispered. "Adam, great to see you. God, man, what happened to you?"  
  
"Jesse, Shalimar, Emma, am I glad to see you!" Adam whispered. "Draper had me kidnapped from the Helix. Hey, I found Brennan ." the other team members shrieked out in glee but Adam silenced them. "There are creatures here," Adam continued. "I think they are the same as Michael was. I think Draper was working on experiments with them and now they literally work for him. I hid Brennan downstairs." Adam looked at the rest of the team members who were listening to him diligently. He pursed his lips and looked at them sympathetically. "He is not in very good condition. Please, do not startle him when you see him. I am not certain we can get him back to the Helix. He's lost a lot of blood and is in severe shock."  
  
"Adam," Jesse began, "we saw the creatures too. Adam, we have to tell you something." Jesse looked at both Shal and Emma who now had tears in their eyes. "The Helix ."  
  
"What about it? Jesse, we have to get Brennan back to it. He needs urgent attention." Adam interrupted.  
  
"Adam! The Helix is .. well .. Adam, it's destroyed. It appears that maybe these creatures trashed it after they took you. Adam, it's in ruin." Jesse finished.  
  
"Damn it!" Adam said while striking his fist against the wall. He rubbed his face and hair with his hand and continued, "Look, we have to get Brennan out of here first. We will worry about the Helix when we get back to it. Brennan is a sitting duck where I left him. We will do out best to get him out and alive, OK?"  
  
"OK, let's go. Adam, you lead. Emma, since this is our way out, you stay here by the door," Jesse commanded.  
  
"She can't stay here alone!" Shalimar interjected.  
  
"She's not," Adam said. "Shal, you are going to stay at the top of the stairs down the hall right there (Adam pointed) in complete view of Emma and the steps. You gotta watch our backs."  
  
"Got it"  
  
"Let's go, Jesse"  
  
Just as Adam and Jesse began to move out, they heard a blood curdling scream from one of the floors below and then a garbled scream immediately after.  
  
"Oh God, Brennan!" Adam yelled. All four team members ran towards the source of the noise - all of them forgetting the plan.  
  
XXX  
  
Draper was really pissed off that he had lost Adam and Brennan. He was even more angry that Adam had been the one to outwit him. He really wanted to torture Adam. He wanted to observe Adam as he saw his kids, his inventions, losing against Draper's army. But, as he turned back towards his monitors to watch what was happening in his sanctuary, he laughed again. "That's OK. They will still lose and I will just get to watch Adam from here as he witnesses his kids die one by one. Starting with . Brennan." He switched the camera to Brennan's location at the bottom of the stairwell. The creature wasn't moving on top of him but a new puddle of blood had formed around Brennan and he assumed the creature had torn his lungs out before Brennan was able to kill it. "I see movement, here they come." Draper laughed even harder as he saw the look on Adam's face when he turned the corner at the bottom of the steps and gazed upon his oldest.  
  
XXX  
  
"Brennan!" Adam nearly yelled. "Oh son, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Adam wailed as he ran to Brennan. Shalimar, Jesse, and Emma were coming behind him. They, too, gasped when they saw Adam trying to roll the creature off of Brennan. They managed to move the creature and examined Brennan's condition. Adam felt for his pulse and Emma wiped the blood off of his face. Jesse and Shalimar maintained vigilance for more interference from either Draper or his minions. "He has a pulse," Adam announced, "it's weak, but it's there."  
  
"His breathing is really ragged, Adam. I think his lungs are damaged," Emma commented.  
  
"I know, Emma. Let's just get him out of here. I can deal with his breathing when I get him back to the Helix ." Adam's voice trailed off as he thought about the Helix and how it likely would not be able to help Brennan or any of them that much given the state it was apparently in.  
  
"Adam?" Jesse said as he approached them, "let's get moving. Shal hears them upstairs and we have noticed that there appear to be cameras in the hallways. Draper may know exactly where we are." Jesse leaned down to pick Brennan up.  
  
"Careful, Jesse," Adam cautioned, "his ribs are broken. I don't want to do any further lung damage. Can you manage him? He's heavy, Jesse."  
  
Jesse looked at Adam and commented to himself as he picked Brennan up into his arms, "He ain't heavy, he's my brother." Just as they turned to go back up, they noticed Shalimar lunge herself at something emerging from the stairway.  
  
"Shal, you can't fight it!" Emma yelled. With that, Emma concentrated everything she had, all the emotion she had been feeling since Brennan disappeared and the site of him now, her hatred for Draper and what he had done to him - to all of them - and threw it at the animal. Shal backed off just in time for Emma's wave to hit and the creature went down screaming. "Shal looked at Emma in amazement. "Nice work Emma! I didn't know ." was all Shal got out. "Let's go," Emma said. With that, the four of them patrolled up the stairs carrying Brennan.  
  
XXX  
  
Draper looked on in disgust. "Get them!" he yelled into his com link. It connected with all of his men - his creatures - his army. "They are headed for the cave entrance," Draper continued as he switched his view on the monitors to watch their harried escape.  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar was the first to reach the top of the stairs with Emma making a close second. Jesse was next, carrying Brennan, and Adam brought up the back. Brennan had begun to stir somewhat and was moaning with each step Jesse took. "I'm sorry, Bren. Hang in there, brother. I know it hurts, but you gotta hang in there, K?" Jesse whispered to Brennan in reassurance.  
  
Once Shal and Emma reached the floor with the cave entrance, their progress was once again hindered. There were at least five of the creatures mulling about the entrance and more coming through the entrance from the cave into the facility. They were all huddled together and failed to notice them cross the hallway into one of the labs across from the stairway. "They're going to be on us at any moment, Adam. They're gonna smell us. I definitely can smell them," Shalimar warned under her breath.  
  
"I know," Adam returned. Jesse laid Brennan down gently onto the floor of the lab. They had tucked deeply into a corner that was quite dark. Adam hoped that Draper's cameras would not reveal their location. They were in desperate need of a plan. Brennan was regaining consciousness again. His cry was stifled by Jesse's hand. Brennan choked up frothy blood when Jesse removed his hand. "God, Brennan, it's OK. Adam, they're gonna us. At that point, Emma looked at Adam and he knew immediately what she was about to do. "Emma, don't. I don't think you'll be able to link to them," Adam cautioned. "Adam, if I don't do this, we're dead anyway. Wish me luck." Shal, Jesse, and Adam looked after Emma as she walked briskly out into the hall. They heard her bark out an order to them. "What are you doing here?" Emma yelled to them. When they turned to face her, Emma realized that her scheme was working. "I said, what are you doing here? Why aren't you downstairs looking for the New Mutants?" What must have been the leader in the group walked up to Emma with his hand on his gun. "I am sorry, sir, Mr. Draper, sir, but we thought you told us to head for the cave entrance." The creature was quite subservient to its would-be master. Adam looked on from one of the windows in awe. Her powers had really advanced.  
  
"I don't keep you here to think. I keep you here to fight! I do the thinking! Is that clear? I told you to come in through the cave entrance and continue down to find them! Now all of you, go! It is quite obvious they are not here on this floor!" Emma was perfect as Draper. The creatures passed by her and the door where the Team was hiding and down the stairway as directed.  
  
Emma flashed back into the room and barked at them to move quickly. "That isn't going to last long, let's go!" The three who could smiled at Emma. Jesse picked Brennan back up and he let out a hiss, trying to suck in his scream. Emma ran up to Brennan and they paused for one moment while Emma gazed into his tormented eyes and transmitted sleep. Brennan was out and they were again on the move. Jesse made it to the door with Brennan and phased both of them through first. He laid Brennan onto the floor of the cave and phased the door. The rest of them came through immediately. Adam looked his team and told them that they needed Brennan to seal the door. It would buy them some time at least if he could seal this entrance. Emma approached Brennan and gently woke him up. Adam was happy to see that she could.  
  
"Brennan, I need you to seal the door. Do you think you can do that?" Adam asked him quietly.  
  
Brennan seemed confused by the question. He was still in shock and Adam wasn't even sure he knew where he was. His fever was still quite high and probably rising. Adam turned to Emma. "Emma, do you think you can get inside Brennan's head and make him seal the door?"  
  
"I don't know, Adam. I can try," was Emma's response. Emma looked into Brennan's eyes again. She wished there wasn't so much pain in them. She would work on that after, but right now, she had to get him to try and seal that entrance. Suddenly, she was in his mind, controlling his very thoughts. She saw him struggling in the distance. Slowly, she approached him and took his hands in hers. She willed the energy to generate; and it did. Emma felt an unbelievable sensation as the energy built up pressure. It needed to release. She tingled. She imagined the door of the cave entrance and directed the thought of the energy welding it closed. Adam, Jesse, and Shalimar looked on in disbelief as the energy wielded from Brennan's fingertips and fused the door to its jam. Now, nothing was coming through it. Emma stopped when she felt that the job was done and gave Brennan a kiss on his forehead and squeezed his hands. She told him to hang on, that they all loved him and would get him out. She promised him. With that, she left his mind and awoke to a very proud Adam. While Emma had been taking care of the door, Shalimar had been smelling the air trying to pick up on any lingering creatures that could be near. Jesse was taking care of Draper's camera - his only connection to the cave - he hoped. Jesse pointed it towards the lock on the door so he could not see the damaged door or anywhere else in the cave. He took out the wire that allowed it to be remotely controlled and hoped that would be enough.  
  
As soon as Emma left Brennan's mind, Brennan fully awoke to Adam hovering over him looking over his wounds. "How bad is it?" Brennan managed to get out before going into a coughing spell. Adam had never lied to Brennan and he did not intend to start now. "Petty bad, Brennan, it's pretty bad," Adam empathetically told him. "I know," Brennan replied with tears running down his face. Jesse and Emma were with his now as well and he looked at each of them spending a few seconds on each of their faces. Shalimar couldn't come up to him. She just couldn't. "I'm sorry guys," Brennan coughed out.  
  
"For what, Brennan?" Jesse got out. He took his head into his hands and cradled it gently. "You don't have anything to be sorry about. Now just stay quiet, K?" Jesse consoled. Both Adam and Emma repeated various parts of what Jesse had said. Brennan continued. "No, I do. I have not been easy. I know. But if I had it to do over, I would have trusted you all more. I would have .." Brennan began coughing hard and a pink froth escaped his mouth. Jesse held onto him and wiped his mouth with his sleeve and rested his cheek on his forehead. "I would have told you more about me. I am so sorry I got you all involved in this. Draper used me to get to all of you." Brennan was crying now and Emma looked at Adam. She was about to ease Brennan's suffering when Adam put up his hand to her. "Brennan," Adam said sternly, "you are not to blame for this. I am. Do you understand? This is my fault, Brennan. I knew what Draper was. I knew what he was capable of. I knew what he did .. to you. I didn't do anything to stop him. I just wiped up his messes and tried to make you and the others as comfortable as I could. But I didn't stop him or Eckhart. I didn't want to lose the project. I really thought I was helping. I did. " Adam had tears rolling down his cheeks as he confessed. "I knew, Brennan. I didn't stop him. I wish I had. God, I have wished that every day of my life since the day you had the courage to do what I couldn't. I let a child do the work of an adult that day. Brennan, son, I am the one who is sorry. Me."  
  
Brennan took one last look at everyone and then looked at Adam again. "No, Adam. I made my own decisions in my life. I just wish I would have had more time. I love y ." Brennan never got the rest of his affirmation out of his mouth. He passed out in Jesse's arms as his raspy breathing finally ceased. 


	11. Friend or Foe

Well, all finals down and now a nice break. I still work, but no school! Now where did we leave the Team? Oh yeah..  
  
"Brennan!" Adam yelled. Jesse laid his head down on the floor and Adam checked for respirations. "Nothing! Damn it Brennan! Don't give up on me!" Adam yelled. He blew two breaths into Brennan's mouth and checked for a pulse. "I still have a pulse. It's weak, but it's there. He must have a pneumo."  
  
"What's that?" Jesse asked in a panic.  
  
"Brennan's lungs are filling with fluid. It likely has gotten into the pleural cavity that surrounds the lungs. It can't get out and just causes pressure, which keeps his lungs from expanding. It will likely stop his heart soon if I don't do something. I'm afraid he may also have pneumonia." Adam said as he blew into Brennan's mouth again. "Jesse, keep up mouth to mouth and I am going to relieve the pressure on his lungs. Emma, get the coat I covered Brennan with. I hope the med kit I packed in it is still there."  
  
"Adam, how could he have pneumonia already? He has only been missing for a day," Emma asked as she and Shalimar searched the shredded coat.  
  
"It's in the left zipped pocket. He could have developed it this fast. He has severe injuries and inhaled a lot of water while he was in the chamber. His immune system is compromised already.believe me, for Brennan, it wouldn't take much to get him really sick. The gunshot wound didn't help him much, either." Adam continued. Jesse was routinely counting in between breaths and whispering to Brennan in between.  
  
"Got it!" Shalimar yelled to Adam as she and Emma hurriedly brought the kit over. "Adam, how are you going to do this?" Emma asked.  
  
As Adam opened the kit and pulled out his scalpel and small tube, he began to explain. "Jesse, check his pulse . I need to make an incision into his right side and pierce the pleural cavity. I have to insert this tube to help divert some of the fluid away from his lungs. I hope at that time, I can re-inflate them and get him breathing on his own."  
  
"Still there, Adam," Jesse yelled to Adam regarding Brennan's pulse as he continued breathing for his best friend. "Shalimar, keep a look out for company, OK? Emma, I need you in case he wakes up during the procedure. He thinks he is in pain now, if he wakes up while I am slicing through his intercostals and moving those broken ribs around . I don't even want to think about it. Jesse, keep breathing for him," Adam commanded, as he wasted no time cleaning the area for his incision and taking the scalpel and beginning his cut. Everyone was silent during the procedure. It didn't take Adam long to cut all the way in. When he pushed the tube in, fluid immediately began gushing through it and spilling onto the cave floor. Adam had Jesse stop the breaths and checked to see if it stimulated Brennan's own breathing. It didn't. "Damn it Brennan!" Adam cursed. He gave Brennan his own air at that time and carefully turned him onto the draining, flailed side. He decided that the right lung may be too badly damaged to re-inflate but by taking the pressure off of the left, one lung is better than none. He gave Brennan a slight slap on the back, which produced a rasped cough and ragged drag of air. Brennan was breathing again. Frothy foam escaped through Brennan's mouth. That combined with the fever convinced Adam that not only was there lung damage; Brennan was also suffering from pneumonia. He knew he would not survive much longer. They had to get out of there.  
  
During all of the excitement, no one noticed that Shalimar had slipped out of the proximity of the cave they were in and was peering at something that was lurking in a far corner of the cave. Her eyes were feral yellow and deep down she trapped a growl that threatened to leave her lips and reveal her location to the animal she now was stalking.  
  
Brennan was again regaining consciousness just as Adam was suturing his wound as well as he could. He kept the tube in place, securing it with thread and bandage. He wrapped Brennan's ribs as tightly as he could to keep his ribs in place and reduce the possibility of further lung damage. "Adam," Brennan gurgled followed by some very painful coughs. "Take it easy Brennan, take it easy. Try not to talk, OK? You are going to be just fine . just fine, son," Adam was trying to reassure Brennan to keep his breathing slow. "Just slow breaths now, Brennan, slow and shallow. If you take deep ones right now, you will cough. I don't want you coughing too hard right now. Brennan, do you hear me?" Adam whispered to Brennan in a soft and calm voice while wiping the sweat from his forehead.  
  
"What . what happen? Where are we?" Brennan breathed the words more than said them. He winced when a wave of pain hit him from his side. He instantly knew there was a new wound.  
  
Adam looked up at Jesse and then back down at Brennan. "Brennan, we are outside the complex, out of the tunnels. We are in a cave." Brennan began to grab for the tube and Jesse had to hold him down. "Brennan! Brennan," Adam continued, "leave the tube alone. You stopped breathing on us, I had to make a small cut in your side to relieve some fluid pressure that was in the chest. The tube is helping you. I'm sorry if it hurts. But it has to stay there."  
  
Brennan calmed down after Adam explained. Jesse rubbed Brennan's arms where he had held them. The last thing he wanted to do was cause him any more discomfort. Brennan glanced at Jesse and exchanged a nod that told him he understood. "I gotta get up," Brennan announced as he struggled to sit upright. Jesse was going to hold him down but Adam motioned to Jesse that they had to try and get out of the cave. "Let's see if we can get you to sit up, Brennan. Jesse, head out of the cave and get me some sturdy branches, about 2 feet in length and at least an inch in diameter but no more than 2 inches. I will need about five of them. We can't move him any further without splinting his leg." Jesse nodded to Adam and told him he would be back in a flash. He rubbed Brennan's forehead gently and made eye contact with him one more time as he promised him he would be right back and that he had to hang in there. Then, Jesse dashed out of the cave, right past Shalimar. He didn't even notice her.  
  
Shalimar made her way back towards Adam. Adam was so consumed with Brennan that he didn't even notice her approach and startled when she touched his shoulder.  
  
"Adam," Shalimar whispered. Adam jerked around to look at her and closed his eyes in a sigh, "Shalimar, you scared me." Instantly noticing the panic in her eyes, Adam asked, "Shalimar, what's wrong?"  
  
"In the corner of the cave Shalimar pointed discretely for Adam and Emma over there, there is another small tunnel. Adam, someone or some - thing, was watching us. I know it. I saw him - it."  
  
"Is it still there?" Adam asked, now worried and beginning to rise from his crouching position by Brennan.  
  
"No, I don't think so, but Adam, it's gonna be back - maybe with reinforcements. We have to get out of here!" Shalimar continued to whisper to Adam as they made their way to where Shalimar had pointed. Emma remained with Brennan.  
  
"Jesse just went outside to get material to splint Brennan's leg with," Adam whispered to Shalimar. "I don't know where we should go. We need to get back to the Helix but they know where it is. We will be trapped. I wonder how far back to the road it is?"  
  
Just then, two creatures emerged from the tunnel that Shalimar had described. Instantly Shalimar went into feral mode and Emma rose in front of Brennan while Brennan, who was barely conscious, attempted to hold a charge in his hand. Adam noticed that they were clothed differently than the ones they had seen in the compound. They had their hands placed out in front of them and did not appear menacing. They also were not approaching them; they were not attacking. Adam wondered why. Shalimar didn't care. She was preparing to pounce on them when Adam raised his hand. There was something familiar about one of the creatures. Adam was the first to speak. "Who are you? What do you want? We do not want to hurt you."  
  
The creature in front cautiously approached Shal and Adam. He growled words that were not easy to understand but both Shal and Adam listened in total disbelief. "grr.. I am Jacob Burns, Adam. This is Sam pointing to the creature standing behind him. Do you remember me Adam?"  
  
Adam was amazed. He stood with his mouth agape and took one step forward with his hand out in a somewhat point towards the creature that had just spoken. "Jacob? No way, you .. you can't be Jacob. Jacob died in the lab explosion at Genomex - when Mason was injured - Jacob, no."  
  
Jacob moved towards Adam and Shalimar came up behind Adam in a protective gesture. She was not going to let this monster, born of Draper's madness, hurt her beloved Adam. "Yes, Adam, I am Jacob - grr..- Draper experimented on me. I was not killed in the explosion, Adam; I was severely injured. Mason had me moved up here to be treated by Draper. His techniques were supposed to be able to strengthen me and help me to live. When I woke up from his 'help', you can imagine my horror. He turned me and several others of his aids into . into .. this." Jacob spat disgustedly throwing his arms about his body in an effort to display it. With his increasing anger, his voice became more and more difficult to understand and his eyes glowed and even deeper yellow.  
  
"Do you work for Draper now? Jacob, my man is severely injured and needs help. I have to get him to a hospital. Can you help us? We used to be friends, Jacob, do you remember? Please, do not turn us in. Draper will kill us. I don't know why he has brought us here but we need to escape. Please, Jacob!" Adam pleaded with his former friend.  
  
Jacob stood there in silence and looked past Adam at Emma and Brennan. He finally spoke. "No, Adam, we do not work for Draper. About three years ago, we escaped. There are several of us that Draper sent out on a training mission of sorts within the facility and there was an accident with the pod. There was a terrible electrical storm generated by the pod and many of us were electrocuted and burned beyond recognition. Those of us who survived removed our com- links and managed to find an area of the facility to live where Draper has no knowledge of us. This tunnel leads to it. Adam, Draper brought you here to experiment on you. He is testing his army and needed an elite team to fight in order to prove his success."  
  
Adam was even further in disbelief and confused. Brennan, Emma, and Shalimar all stood down and Adam closed the gap between Jacob and himself while looking Jacob up and down. "What are you talking about? An army? There is no way that facility is still funded by Genomex. It is a mess in there. Why have you stayed? Why don't you go beyond the facility? How many of you are living out here and what are talking about when you say 'pod'?" Adam was at a loss. He was really scared now. He thought Draper was mad but now he was beginning to realize the extent of the colossal failure of the Mutant Projects.  
  
Jacob shook his head and filled in the rest of the gaps. "I don't think that Genomex funds the project anymore. Mason revoked Draper's privileges after the explosion and sealed the facility. That is why there are no entrances anymore. The pod, well, I thought you knew about it. It is an electromagnetic force field that surrounds the facility like a pod. No one comes in and . well," Jacob stalled looking at the injured Brennan, "no one gets out either. It was one of the projects that Draper just continued. He hid after the explosion in the remote tunnels of the water project until Genomex cleared out. Then, he went back to work and has been doing it for the past three years. There are many of us that have escaped - at least 25. We haven't been able to leave because of the pod and the cameras Draper has set up everywhere. And, besides, Adam, where were we going to go?"  
  
Just then, Brennan let out a howl of pain and developed further difficulty in breathing. Jacob pushed past Adam and ran up to Brennan. Shalimar nearly attacked him but Adam held her back and told both she and Emma that Jacob was one of the most renowned surgeons that Genomex had and may be able to help Brennan. Jacob crouched down by Brennan and checked his condition. Without delay, he told his helper to get a stretcher and reinforcements. He looked up at Adam and said, "Of course I will help you Adam, my friend; but first, let's help this young one, shall we? We have stolen medical supplies that were left behind by Genomex and have quite a lab set up underground. Let me take you there, all of you."  
  
Then, without warning, pounding began on the other side of the door to the facility and Jesse ran back into the cave with the supplies Adam had asked him for. He massed as soon as he saw the creature by Brennan and Adam yelled to him to stop. Just as a very confused Jesse relaxed, the door behind Brennan began to fail at its welded hinges. It looked as though Adam was going to have to trust this creature, who claimed to be his old friend. He simply had no choice. 


	12. Friends, for now

Thanks for the reviews! They really keep me inspired. This story has a mind of its own, so bear with me. I still don't own them.  
  
"We can't wait for reinforcements. We have to move him now!" Jacob yelled. Jesse was at a complete loss to who this creature was and why Adam was letting him touch Brennan. "Adam, what the hell is going on?" Jesse exclaimed as he ran to the door and got ready to mass in order to block the doorway so that they could move Brennan.  
  
"There's no time, Jesse," Adam yelled back, "Shalimar, help Jacob and I lift Brennan. Keep his leg stabilized. We'll handle his upper body. Jesse, you and Emma wait by the door. Emma, you are able to handle them with your power. Jesse, mass and block that door."  
  
"Adam, as soon as we get him into the passage, the others must join us and I will seal the passage. We must get through it before they see us!" With that, they quickly got their arms under Brennan. He moaned and bit his lip to keep from screaming. Adam consoled him and promised it would not be much longer and that he had to be strong. Adam didn't want Emma to sedate him because he did not completely trust what they were walking into. Jesse and Emma ran to the passage after the other four made it through. Jacob turned a control on the wall of the passage and a rock door slid over the opening and completely hid them inside the tunnel.  
  
They laid Brennan down on the chamber floor just as light began to illuminate the tunnel from deep within its depths. Adam heard voices coming up from below and Shalimar instinctively went back into feral mode.  
  
"It's OK," Jacob told them, "they are friends." Six more creatures of varying size and breed came into site. They carried a stretcher and other supplies with them. Jacob began to bark orders to all of them and they expertly transferred Brennan to the stretcher. Before any of them knew what to think, they were all on their way down into the depths from which the creatures had emerged.  
  
The passage was quite long and Adam had been trying to tell just how deeply they had penetrated the earth's surface. This was obviously an old cave of some sort. It was possible it led all the way down the mountain and to the river below. Most of the time they were on stone steps, however, at times, they crossed on rocks, alone. As Adam was thinking about their location, he heard Jacob exclaim to everyone in the group. "We have to stop! Adam, Brennan needs help, he can't breathe. All f you, set the stretcher down here." Adam had been following one pace behind the group carrying Brennan and had been listening to his breathing. It didn't seem changed until they set him down; then, Adam also heard it. "Jacob, how did you know?" Adam was astonished, "I didn't hear any changes until after you set him down." Both men were working with the tube, now, that extended from Brennan's injured chest. "Adam, my mutation involves the DNA from a fox. My hearing is better than yours," Jacob responded. They continued manipulating the tube until Jacob made a revelation. "I think it's blocked." Adam nodded in agreement. Jesse, Shal and Emma were all watching them with anticipation. When they heard that, they began to lose hope again. Jesse was first to comment to the others. "We have to find a way out of here. What if this Jacob isn't who he says he is? What if he is and is still leading us to Draper? We're heading right back down next to the compound. Hell, we could be in it!"  
  
"Jesse, I am sensing nothing but genuineness from Jacob," Emma replied, "I think he is who he says he is, or at least believes he is. Also, I don't sense any deception."  
  
"Yeah, well, I don't like this at all," said Shalimar, obviously frustrated with the recent turn of events. "I have never seen Adam allow someone else to tell him what was wrong with one of us. Now, he is following this Jacob like he was his mentor or something. But Brennan is in such bad shape. God, I don't want to trust this, but I don't see an alternative, Jesse. We can't leave. He told us about the force field, and the Helix."  
  
"Jacob said that about the force field, Shalimar," mocked Jesse. "We don't know if it really exists. Think about it. Where is its power source? If Genomex really did abandon the project, like Jacob said, who's paying the light bill? A small generator could keep the lights and other systems we have seen operating with the aid of solar panels but there is no way it could generate the kind of power needed to run something like a 10 mile EMF dome! No way!"  
  
Adam and Jacob had cut into Brennan once more to reinsert the tube. Jacob was half listening to what the other three Mutant X members were speaking about but chose to concentrate on Brennan first. He would set all of their thoughts at ease as soon as they reached his lab and Brennan was out of danger. He silently prayed that he could save the young mutant. He feared what the Team would think of him if he let Brennan die.  
  
Just as Adam pushed the tube through the new incision on Brennan's chest, Brennan unfortunately, woke up. "Arghhhh," was all Brennan managed to moan. His breathing became very quick and ragged and he was choking. He struggled against Jacob. He was not completely coherent and didn't recognize anyone of the individuals now trying to help him. The tube pulled out of his chest as he pushed both Adam and Jacob away from him. He had strength that surprised even him. Emma and Jesse came running towards him. Jesse massed in front of Emma just in time to take the electrical charge Brennan shot at them. It was weak, though, and even had he not massed and it would have hit Emma, she likely would have felt nothing more than a carpet shock. Emma hit Brennan with a psionic blast that knocked him out. Adam and Jacob looked at Emma and thanked her. They quickly returned to their work on Brennan. Emma crumpled into deep sobs at the thought of hurting Brennan. Shalimar took her into her arms and cradled her. The other beasts walked up to them and also began to speak words of comfort. This surprised them. They did act human. Why were they so different than the beasts that worked fro Draper?  
  
Jesse walked up to Jacob and Adam and asked if he could help. He crouched down and held Brennan's head in his hands and wiped his forehead. "Adam, he is still really hot," Jesse announced to the already worried Adam. "I know, Jesse. Jacob, do you have any antibiotics at your lab?" Adam inquired. Jacob had managed to get the tube inserted and more fluid once again poured from the tube out of Brennan's chest. His breathing became less labored, then, and both Adam and Jacob seemed to relax a bit. "Yes," Jacob responded, "I have a limited supply of vancomycin as well as cortisone. We should be able to treat most of his wounds there. It won't be pretty, and unfortunately, it will be painful. I don't have any painkillers. Dr. Draper didn't believe in them, so he didn't supply them."  
  
They picked Brennan up and continued downward. Everyone seemed a little more trusting of each now. Emma and one of the other beasts had actually struck up a conversation. Jesse still was angered at the barbarism of the mutant projects and still wanted to kill Draper with his own hands for what he did to Brennan through the course of his life. Shalimar just kept looking at the beasts. She felt a strange bond with them from the beginning. They were all feral, after all. They were not cats, like her, but they were canine feral of various breeds. Natural instincts told her to be wary of them, but her animalistic side and being a victim of mutation, herself, led her to feel a sense of camaraderie with them. She couldn't help it.  
  
Finally, the passage opened into a large room. There were other beasts here, now. There was also a high-tech lab. Adam smiled and quickened his pace to close the distance between it and himself. The others laid Brennan down onto a table and two beasts started an IV. They hooked up monitors and Jacob prepared a surgical tray. One assistant brought over a respirator. Like a finely tuned team, Adam, Jacob, and the others went to work on Brennan. Adam intebated him and began respirations while Jacob opened his chest. When Jacob got a first look at Brennan's flailed rib cage, he glanced up at Adam. They were both concerned and did not need to speak to one-another. They knew what they were up against. Jacob just shook his head and went to work on the jigsaw puzzle. There were several lacerations to Brennan's lung tissue. It was no wonder he couldn't breathe. Adam was surprised he was even alive. They took a quick check of the pericardium to make certain it was intact. It was. "Good boy." Adam whispered as they continued their work. Adam let Jacob close the chest and went to work on the gunshot wound. He opened the wound as far as he could in search of the bullet. He couldn't find it. He opened him a little further so he could check the organs in the area. There was a slight tear in the peritoneum that could have been causing the fever as well. Adam flushed the area with saline and closed the tear. "Jacob, I can't find the bullet," Adam told Jacob. "Do you have an X-ray?" Jacob responded that he had a scanner. They could scan Brennan to see the job they did on the ribs and would maybe be able to see the bullet's location. In the meantime, they needed to check the set on his leg and then close and let him recover.  
  
About five hours after they began, Jacob and Adam walked away from the operating table. Brennan was hooked up to some very sophisticated monitors and was receiving antibiotic therapy. All they could do now was keep him out of shock and wait. They met up with the other three mutants and sat down to have a long talk about their situation. "How's Brennan?" Jesse and Shalimar asked in stereo. Emma already knew. She had read Adam as soon as he walked out. She was both relieved and worried. Jacob let Adam explain. "His injuries are worse than we expected. His rib cage was a mess. I don't know if he was beaten or if it happened during the fall, but nearly all of his ribs sustained damage. His chest was literally crushed." Jesse and Shalimar developed tears in their eyes. Jesse again, led them. "What does that mean for Brennan?"  
  
Jacob continued in his growl voice. "It means we could not save them all. We had to remove some of the shattered pieces. We also had to do quite a bit of repair to his lungs. We were not able to find the bullet, but we did repair a tear in his stomach lining. His leg is set and we have casted it."  
  
"What about the fever?" Jesse asked.  
  
"We are treating him with antibiotics. He will continue on the respirator for a while to reduce the stress on his lungs. They need time to heal," Jacob finalized.  
  
"Time?" Shalimar asked. "Adam, we don't have any time. Draper is going to be out looking for us. Jacob, this could jeopardize this entire operation. They know we didn't leave in the Helix, and if this dome-thing is really in place, he'll also know we are still here."  
  
"What about that?" Jesse inquired. "How do you guys get all the power and food and other items you need just to survive without Genomex funding the project? And besides, someone grabbed Brennan off of the docks and let us in here. So at some time the dome was down. Where is it controlled?"  
  
Jacob put his hand out to Jesse in a manner that told Jesse to calm down. "I will answer every question I can - one at a time - OK? I heard you talking to your friends when we were working on Brennan in the cave. I understand your skepticisms. But first, you cannot move Brennan for several days. He will not even be off of the respirator for at least 3 days. His lungs need time to begin healing. We also need to try and find the bullet. That may take another surgery."  
  
The group looked at Adam. "We're trapped?" Shalimar exclaimed. "No," Adam responded. "We are not trapped. Jacob is right about Brennan. We can't move him right now. Frankly, I can't believe he is still alive after seeing where Draper was holding him and what he has done to him. I feel that we are safe here. Draper is crazy. He is likely to believe what ever his head tells him to believe. I do not think he will suspect anything other than we are good at the game and hiding well. He'll wait us out. Jacob, what do you think?"  
  
"He'll wait us out. And don't worry. We have plenty of power to sustain us. We steal it from the generator. But, everyone needs a shower and some rest. I will have Samuel show you to your accommodations. They aren't the best, but they are better than being outside. According to the Internet, we are expecting storms again tonight. They cause electrical storms to go on in the dome and it can be very dangerous outside." Jacob motioned to one of the creatures to come over. He did so and smiled at the group. "This is Samuel. He was one of Draper's lab techs when he was altered," Jacob introduced.  
  
"I'll sleep in the lab with Brennan," Adam announced. "I want to keep an eye on his fever and keep his tube clean."  
  
"OK, Adam, but we'll come back and relieve you so you can get some rest and a shower as well. You are full of blood." Jesse commented. Adam looked down at himself and then backs over across the room at Brennan. He sighed a sigh of helplessness and agreed. As the group left for their rooms, Adam walked back over to Brennan. He looked down at his clothes and once again at Brennan. They were both caked in dried blood. The rhythmic sound of the respirator lulled the weary Adam. He sat on a stool next to Brennan and took his battered hand in his own. He looked at it and couldn't believe it. Even they were scarred with the events of the past two days. A tear trailed down Adam's cheek as he gazed at his fallen child. He whispered to no one but himself, "What have I done?" before he silently surrendered to the deep sorrow he had stifled since he saw his Brennan for the first time in the tunnels. He buried his head into Brennan's covers, gripped his hand tightly and sobbed. 


	13. The Foe Emerges

Thanks for the reviews, again. Here we go with some more. Get your compasses out; this story is about to take some turns. Don't get lost.  
  
Adam awoke to a horrific noise. It sounded like something exploded above him and the entire cave rocked. Brennan's monitors went off. They were all flat line. "Brennan!" Adam yelled. "Jacob!" Adam ripped Brennan's covers down and checked his pulse. He watched for any signs of life. He got one. Brennan had a pulse, but he wasn't breathing. No, wait, Adam thought. It wasn't that he wasn't breathing; he couldn't breathe! The rumble must have been a power surge and it knocked out the respirator. It shouldn't have happened. They have backup power supplies! Adam scrambled. He attempted to restart the respirator. No luck. "Jacob!" Adam yelled again. He prepared to remove the breathing tube from Brennan. He disconnected it and attached a bag to his airway. He began to squeeze. Several mutants showed up in the lab. They were bustling around trying to restart equipment. The sound of the flat line was still humming in Adam's ears as he tried to assess Brennan's condition. Finally Jacob burst into the room with Jesse, Shal and Emma on his heels. "Adam," Jacob yelled, "It's the storm. We never had to use this equipment before during one of them. I'm sorry. I should have thought of it."  
  
Adam was comfortable that Brennan had not sustained any further damage from the event. Jacob and his minions managed to get the power grid back up for the lab and the machines began to work again. Adam shut Brennan's monitor off to stop the noise. He looked at his teammates, who were standing, shaking, looking at him. "He's OK. It was just the storm. His heart never stopped." Shalimar and Emma hugged each other and wiped the tears away from under each other's eyes. Jesse approached Adam and Jacob. "We need to talk," was all he said.  
  
Jacob, Adam, Jesse, Shal, Emma, and Samuel all went to the far side of the lab and sat down in some chairs that were strewn by the computers. Adam looked at Jesse, "What is it son?"  
  
"Adam, there is one hell of an electrical storm going on outside. Jacob, I wasn't in the cave when you came into the picture. What I know I have learned from Shal and Emma. I need to understand from you more about this dome. Is it true that it is creating this storm?" Jesse asked.  
  
"Yes," Jacob replied. "The storm is created by the electrical potential on the inside of the dome. There is such high polarity that it attracts any natural electricity outside the dome and redistributes it within. It has been happening during natural electrical storms ever since Draper had us power it up."  
  
"But, if this was supposed to protect military bases by keeping them cloaked, I don't think the electrical storm thing is going to make it too successful," Jesse mocked.  
  
"I know," Jacob replied. "That is one of the problems that Draper just chose to ignore. His men do not even come out of the compound on days and nights like this. We stay under as well. It is just too dangerous." With that, Jesse got an idea. "Did you say that no one goes out of the compound?"  
  
"Yes, that is what I said. But there is more that you should know. You asked earlier about how the dome and facility managed to power. You should know the truth about that. You see, the reason Draper was able to overcome your young friend over there so easily is because he knew every one of his weaknesses. Draper is also an elemental of sorts."  
  
"Yes, we know that about him," Adam interjected. "They know that too."  
  
"Well, that's just it. Draper has developed a way to harness the electricity from the storms inside the dome and store it into very large battery cells for future use. The dome has a capacitor - several in fact - where it stores the energy. Draper hooks himself up on nights like this and literally alters the current of the lightening to one, which is capable of being stored. He will fuel his cells to last him for weeks to come."  
  
'So, what you are saying is that, no one is outside right now and Draper isn't watching TV?" Jesse inquired.  
  
"Correct."  
  
"Then we go now," Jesse said to Adam, his determination quite obvious.  
  
"Go where?" Adam asked.  
  
"The Helix," Jesse replied.  
  
"No Way!" the girls replied in unison. "Jesse, are you nuts?" Shalimar asked. "That is lightening out there coming from everywhere. We would never make it. Besides, the Helix is trashed, you saw it!"  
  
"No, Shalimar, I think he might have an idea," Adam said now rising to his feet. "If we could get to the Helix, we would be safe from the storm. The Helix is naturally grounded in the material used to forge it. It can't be hit."  
  
"Adam, we could never get Brennan there. You said yourself we can't move him. Besides, where would we go then? The Helix is ruined," Shalimar pleaded.  
  
Adam looked at Shal and replied, "We aren't taking Brennan. We are merely going to assess the Helix' condition. If we can get a list together of what is wrong with it and maybe even get some repairs done, we might have a better chance at getting out real soon. It is the only time we will be able to safely get to it. We can't go when they are all outside, Shalimar. And we know that Draper has us on screens."  
  
Shalimar pulled Adam and Jesse away from the group, closer to Brennan. She still was not aware that Jacob could hear nearly everything. Emma was aware, though, and stayed back to distract him. "Adam, have you lost your mind?" Shalimar cried. "If we leave Brennan with these . these friends of yours, we are right back where we started. Brennan away from us and injured and helpless, deep in a tunnel in the custody of some very dangerous creatures!"  
  
"Shalimar, listen. I know Jacob. He was my friend. He will protect Brennan until we get back."  
  
"If we get back," Jesse interjected. "No offense, Adam, but um, your Genomex friends haven't turned out too trustworthy in the past. In fact, Eckhart, Draper . I would say that they are a bit off."  
  
"Yeah, and right now, I'm not so sure about you, Adam," Shalimar spat.  
  
"Kids, listen to me," Adam said while taking his famous pose under stress. He placed his thumb and forefinger on either side of the bridge of his nose and bent his head down. "There is plenty you do not know about me. And that has gotten us into some bad spots before and I am sorry about it. But right now you have to trust me. This is Jacob. And he is my friend. He will watch over Brennan, I promise."  
  
While her teammates were discussing their latest dilemma, Emma kept Jacob busy. She continued to read him as she spoke to him to try and get any hit at all that he was not on the up and up. Samuel was keeping an eye on everyone and continued to look over at the sleeping Brennan. He gazed upon Brennan's injuries, the blood, and licked his lips. He smiled to himself as he thought about him. He quickly jerked his head back and looked at Emma, hoping no one noticed his momentary lapse. Emma had gotten a strong hit of danger from somewhere in the room but couldn't pin down its source. Just then another horrible clap of thunder and the room went dark again. The silence was deafening except for the gargled gasps coming from Brennan. Samuel ran right over to see if he could assist him. You see, Samuel was a jackal and could see in the dark. 


	14. Darkness and Light

OK here we go, inquiring minds. thank you for the reviews. I will try to keep the paragraphs more manageable. Back in school now again, so, sorry for the delay.  
  
Brennan felt the presence of wakening. He felt the old familiar cold that was deep within his body. He was cold through his bones. There was a dull pain that was beginning somewhere within him. He knew it was going to grow in intensity if he let himself come fully awake. He knew that he was still in the hands of madmen, that he was mortally wounded, that he didn't have the strength to fight much longer. He was so cold and he hurt so badly. He thought how easily it would be to just not wake up. He prayed to God to take him. He begged God to take him. He could just slip away into the darkness where he was safe from the horror that had become his life. It would be so easy.  
  
Other thoughts invaded his mind as well, however. They were thoughts of Emma and Jesse - Adam and Shal. His friends were here to save him; at least, he thought they were. He thought he had seen Adam earlier holding his hand. He also thought he had seen Shal and Jesse. Yes, Jesse had been holding his head off of the ground - he had been whispering to him to hang on. But then, there were also monsters. He knew he had seen monsters.  
  
A stab of pain in his chest suddenly jerked him to a higher level of consciousness. He tried to gasp - to scream - and realized he couldn't. He heard a droning, rhythmic, hissing sound. His breathing seemed in time with it.  
  
"How odd," Brennan thought. He heard voices; they were whispers really - near his bed. Suddenly, without warning, there was a horrible noise and the room went black. Brennan didn't quite understand what was going on but he suddenly felt compression in his chest. It was similar to the feeling he had when he was under the water in the tunnels. He wondered what was causing it. Then he knew; he couldn't breathe! The rhythm was gone! He was suffocating. He couldn't make himself take a breath!  
  
"Why?" Brennan thought. He began to panic and reached for his throat where he felt the tubes for the first time. He recoiled at the thought. "God I'm on a respirator and it isn't on!" He began to rip at the tube that was impeding his breathing - stopping his life!  
  
Desperate for help, he looked over to where he had heard the voices earlier and saw a flash of light. It flashed again. To his horror, he saw what it was - what they were. They were eyes, and they were red. Brennan immediately formed a ball of energy in his hand. It split the darkness like the lightening that it was.  
  
As Samuel approached Brennan, a bright light stabbed at his feral eyes. He hissed and shielded himself from the light. He immediately knew what it was and seethed. His prey wasn't dead yet. "Damn it!" he thought. He needed to feed. He needed to rake his claws over flesh and gorge until he swelled. But he couldn't yet. He was a scavenger, not a hunter. "Patience, Samuel," the voice told him in his head. "You will get your fill," the memory told him. "Just wait. Watch Jacob and the others for me and you will be rewarded. Notify me of events, Samuel, and you will get a carcass, I promise."  
  
Samuel smiled at the memory. His red, feral eyes laughed and then faded. Yes, Draper had promised Samuel a long time ago that he would take care of him, feed him when necessary. All he had to do was watch Jacob. No, he could not take this human alone. He had to tell Draper. Yes, that was what he had to do. Draper would reward him - maybe with this one - after Draper killed it, of course. Samuel decided to slip out in the dark and notify Draper of the developments of the evening. Oh how happy his master was going to be!  
  
Brennan saw the monster flash before his eyes. The light made him squint, but he saw the creature. It dashed away, though, when Brennan lost the charge. He could only hold it for a second; he was so weak and still couldn't breathe. All of a sudden, another set of feral eyes was upon him. However, he didn't fear these eyes. They were yellow and familiar, not red and savage. He heard voices and felt hands all over him. The touch of them hurt his tortured body. His head jerked back and he felt pressure on his throat. The voices were so distant. He heard his name called out several times by the voices he knew. They were the voices of friends. There was another voice, though. It was one he didn't know. It was gruff and raspy but seemed to be barking commands. Time was fleeting and he saw spots in front of his eyes. His lungs were going to explode and then it would be over.  
  
There was light now. Brennan didn't even realize when it came on. He must have had his eyes closed. He noticed, however, that he was breathing. His throat burned with each breath and his lungs were the source of the heat - they seemed like they were on fire. The pain was almost too much for him to take. He didn't want to breathe but couldn't stop himself. Something was covering his face and forcing air into his mouth, down his scalded airway into his blazing lungs. Tears were rolling out of his eyes and falling past his face. He began to scream in his mind for someone to help him.  
  
"Adam, his vital signs are returning to normal," Jacob reported. "That last lightening hit really did a number on this equipment. I think we are going to have to risk it with him breathing on his own, Adam. There is nothing else we can do."  
  
"I know," Adam responded while squeezing the bag over Brennan's mouth ever so gently. "I am just concerned about over-inflating his lungs right now."  
  
While Jacob and Adam were working, Emma was reading Brennan. She suddenly jerked back. "He's awake!" Emma yelled to Adam. "Adam, he is awake and in a lot of pain."  
  
Adam removed the bag from Brennan's mouth and listened for breath sounds. Emma was right. He was breathing on his own. They were relatively clear sounds. "Brennan?" Adam whispered by Brennan's ear. "Can you hear me, son?"  
  
Brennan heard Emma yell to Adam. He knew that he had to concentrate and take a breath on his own to keep that bag away. He would much rather try to breathe alone and fail than have that bag forcing him to and explode his fragile lungs. He breathed in and then out. He breathed in again. This was quite the effort, Brennan thought. "I have to," he mumbled to himself. He didn't realize it was out loud as well.  
  
"What's that, Brennan?" Adam beamed a smile from ear to ear when he heard Brennan's voice. It didn't really sound like his voice - it was too gargled - but it was his. "Brennan?" Adam pressed. "Can you hear me?"  
  
Shal and Jesse approached Brennan's bed, hopeful again. Another horrible clap of thunder and the lights flickered. "I'm here," Brennan rasped.  
  
"Thank God, son. You had me so worried!" Adam exclaimed. "Brennan, you have to breath shallow. Can you do that for me? Jacob and I have repaired your lungs for now but your entire ribcage is very fragile. We also managed to set your leg and repair the bullet wound. I think you are going to be OK but you need to rest."  
  
"Where, where am I?" Brennan asked in a barely audible tone. "Adam, I saw ani . a monst ." Brennan couldn't quite get it out. He was too weak to talk.  
  
"It's OK, Brennan. They are friends," Adam said trying to comfort him. "Now don't you worry. You get rest."  
  
"It hurts," Brennan pleaded as tears rolled from his eyes.  
  
Adam cringed, as did the others. He looked up at Jacob with pleading, helpless eyes. "Do you have anything?"  
  
"No, Adam. I don't. Not even an aspirin. I don't have anything!" Jacob responded. The anxiety and remorse was clearly in his expressions. He was truly sorry.  
  
"You don't need any," Emma replied. "I can make his pain manageable." Emma walked up to Brennan. She took his head in her hands and directed his gaze towards her beautiful eyes. Brennan loved those eyes. From the first day he gazed into them, he was lost. They were so deep. Emma relayed to Brennan a feeling of ease, tranquility, and life. Brennan saw the ocean, the sky, and the clouds. But mostly, he didn't care that his body hurt. He could feel something but it was bearable. He drifted off onto one of the clouds he saw, somewhere between wakening and sleep. That was OK. He could stay here for a while. His friends would protect him.  
  
Emma laid his head back down and wiped his forehead. She kissed his tears off of his closed eyelids as her own tears streamed down her face. She turned to Adam and spoke. "I agree with Jesse, we go now." 


	15. It Filters Through

I apologize for leaving the story where I left it last time and for those of you who wanted me to continue quickly, here I go. Thanks for the reviews again.  
  
The storm raged. Samuel took the route of the tunnel that lead to the cave- door entrance where Adam and the others had escaped from earlier. Samuel needed to find Draper and tell him about the developments with Jacob. The flashing lightning and crashing thunder frightened Samuel even though he was inside the caves. There were several cracks in the entrance cave ceiling that allowed light and water to filter through. Samuel approached the cave entrance and moved the door out of the way. He slipped past the tunnel and into the main cave room. His excitement increased as he approached the entrance to the facility. There was blood still on the cave floor where Brennan had been laid down. The red filtered through again in his eyes matching the crimson red that stained the floor. He licked his lips again as he thought about Brennan's pain and his oozing, battered body. He always enjoyed when the others would make the kill and leave him the shredded parts but the thought of having the body as a whole only for him was so exciting and new. He wanted Draper to give him the body all for himself. That is what he would trade his information for: a promise from Draper that he got the whole body.  
  
A clash of thunder shocked Samuel from his trance. He rushed through the facility opening. The door was still hanging from its hinges. Samuel was surprised that Draper did not have it repaired yet - the facility was no longer secure. He assumed, however, that Draper was busy channeling energy like he always did on stormy days. As Samuel thought about Draper, he flashed back to the early days of the project. Samuel hadn't always been like this. He had worked on the electrical project. He had created the dome, had been perfecting it when Draper called him into his lab one day. Samuel knew something had been happening in the lab. People had been cycling in and out all day. They seemed OK when they went in and sick when they went out. Samuel remembered going in and something happening and really not much after that. His life had become so changed. These feelings of rage and lack of control were all subsequent to that day. Storms made him feel different. They made him feel like he did before. Samuel thought that they made everyone feel like they had before. But it was so difficult to know what 'before' was. Sometimes he remembered, but the memories were fleeting and replaced by these new feelings of greed and instinct. Now, all he wanted to do was please Draper for reward. He didn't trust anything anymore and would do everything in his power to make sure that he got what was good for him. That was all he wanted now. It was only good if it was good for him. This was good. Telling Draper about the visitors, Jacob and the injured human was good for him, so it was good - no matter what Jacob said.  
  
Again - a clash of thunder and Samuel startled out of his stupor. All thoughts beyond Samuel's current task-at-hand faded away as did any glint of humanity left in his eyes; traits that were purely animal - purely jackal - filled the void; he was seeing red again - it had filtered through. Samuel disappeared down the dimly lit hallway bound for some distant tunnel where he would surely find Draper. There, he would give him the news.  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar looked at Emma and Jesse and then at Adam. She was distraught at the thought of leaving Brennan alone. She let her sight drift towards Brennan and submitted to the tears that were now challenging her stoic demeanor.  
  
"But what if he . what if he needs us when we are gone? He will be afraid if he wakes up and doesn't see any of us," Shalimar managed to get out all the while wiping her tears from her cheeks.  
  
Adam walked up to her and placed an arm around her. He drew her into a tight embrace and looked into her eyes as she cowered into him. "Shalimar, I know you are afraid to leave him. We all are." Adam looked over at Brennan and shook his head. "I can't bear the thought of leaving him either, but we have to. He is going to die, Shalimar."  
  
Adam's words stung Shalimar as well as the others. "I thought you said he was going to be alright?" Shalimar exclaimed. "You told him. You told him he was going to be fine! Adam, you had no right to lie to him! Why do you think he is going to die?" Shalimar was crying now. She drew attention from Jacob, who again, had been listening while working on Brennan. "What's wrong with him? I thought you fixed him." Shalimar was babbling incoherently now. She was the alpha omega of this pride and one of her cubs was injured and now she finds out he is in grave danger and there is nothing the alpha can do. That simply wasn't acceptable. She was incredibly angry.  
  
"Shalimar," Emma interjected. "Adam didn't lie to Brennan. He needed to calm him down. We need to get him out of here, Shal. He can't last here. I can't manage all of his pain for him. He is suffering. It isn't right. His infection is getting worse and Jacob doesn't have the antibiotics that Brennan needs to fight it. I agree with Adam. I am not a doctor, Shal, but I know Brennan well enough to know that his immune system sucks! He is going to get worse."  
  
Shalimar looked up at Adam through her swollen, desperate eyes. She searched his expression for any sign of relief. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare. Adam offered no solace. "Emma is right, Shalimar. He doesn't have that long."  
  
"Well, I don't care what your decisions are," Jesse interjected grabbing his jacket and zipping it up. "I'm going. I am not going to sit by and watch my best friend die because we are waiting on a miracle that is never going to come. He is not getting better and the Helix is his only hope. Now, either you all are with me or you stay. Frankly, I don't care." Jesse was determined and the others knew it.  
  
"OK," Shalimar responded. "OK."  
  
Jacob looked down at Brennan. He was listening to the debate going on in his lab by his former comrade and his constituents. He studied Brennan. His clothing was torn and full of caked, dried blood. The sight and smell of it excited him. But Jacob was strong. He shook off the natural instinct and continued with his task. He was suctioning Brennan's lungs with an aspirator. It wasn't working. Brennan was still producing bloody sputum. His lungs were again filling with fluid. The pneumonia and the damage were wreaking havoc and he was losing the battle. Soon, his oxygen saturation would sink below acceptable levels and acid would build up in his blood stream and cause his breathing to cease altogether. Then, his heart would simply stop.  
  
"How's he doing?" Adam asked as he approached. Jacob jumped at the interruption.  
  
"Oh, you startled me," Jacob responded. "He isn't good, Adam. He isn't good." Jacob replied while shaking his head. He felt defeated. "I'm so sorry Adam. If I would have known Draper had him here, I would have helped. I just didn't know. I didn't," Jacob pleaded with his friend. He felt guilty for the thoughts he had earlier and for not being able to do more.  
  
"Jacob," Adam consoled, "this isn't your fault. You have helped. If it weren't for you, Brennan would be dead already and probably the rest of us as well. You can't think about what you should have done. Let's turn the negative into a positive. You can only think now about what you can do. You can keep him alive and safe until we get back. We are going to try and assess the damage done to the Helix."  
  
"You aren't really considering going out into that storm are you?" Jacob asked, disbelieving.  
  
"We have to, Jacob. We have to get him out of here. You know, yourself that, he is not going to live another 48 hours. I have to get him to Sanctuary, where I can help him. We need the Helix to get there in time and to get us away from this dome. Believe it or not, Jacob, I brought another one of these domes down not too long ago. I believe that this dome is quite similar to that one. But I need the Helix to bring it down."  
  
"Adam, I have contacts within Draper's group. He is using all of you as a test for his feral army. It isn't a joke. He really means to try and turn footage over to Genomex in attempt to get back in with Mason! There are cameras everywhere. I don't believe you will be able to do this, even if you do get back to the Helix. These storms only last for a day or so and then cease. Adam, you won't have time!" Jacob was visibly upset as he countered Adam.  
  
"Do you see an alternative, Jacob?" Jesse interjected. "What would you suggest we do? Wait here, until he dies? Maybe this is all part of the plan, Adam." Jesse was circling the two of them now, quite agitated, and sparking Jacob's sly intuition. He didn't trust the young molecular. "Yeah," Jesse continued, "maybe that was the plan all along. Draper knows that his ferals are all pussies and are afraid of a little lightening, no offense Shal, Shal smiled back with her arms crossed over her chest. Maybe Draper ordered Jacob to find us and keep us here until the storm passed to even up the odds. What do you think, Jake?" Jesse spat the last word of his challenge in Jacob's face.  
  
Adam was visibly disgusted with Jesse's outburst and let him know it. "Jesse! Get ahold of yourself! I know you are upset, now we all are! But I am not going to stand here and let you say these things to Jacob."  
  
"It's alright, Adam," Jacob interrupted.  
  
"No, it isn't!" Adam yelled. He was at his wits end and Jesse knew it. Jesse retreated back by Brennan and continued to get ready to leave. He assessed Brennan and wondered if he could somehow make him able to travel. Adam put his head down and rubbed the bridge of his nose trying to calm himself down. He exhaled loudly and looked up with a hand out towards Jesse but kept his eyes closed for the first couple of words. He was trying to stave off his tears. "Look," he continued in a much softer voice. He walked across the floor of the cave towards Jesse and Brannan. Jesse actually took a protective stance separating Brennan from Adam. Adam paused, surprised at the action, but continued anyway. "Jesse, do you think I want Brennan to die? Any of you to die? I created you! You are my children! I love you! Now I know I have made mistakes in the past. Do I have to keep explaining myself to all of you? Do I have to keep apologizing? For God's sake I am sorry! I am sorry for everything! But if I stand here and let Brennan die, that will be it for me. I mean it, guys. I will be done. I cannot stand the thought of losing any of you especially to the project. Do you understand me?"  
  
Adam was pleading with them. Jesse stood down and felt a bit sheepish. Emma was in tears and rushed to Adam's side. Shalimar pouted her lips and slowly sauntered to Jesse's side. Jesse looked at the group and at Emma, who assured Jesse that all intentions were true with a slight nod of her head. Jesse had somewhat become the leader of the group in Brennan's incapacitation. He spoke for all of them. "We're sorry, Adam."  
  
"I don't need your apology, nor do I want it. I want and need your forgiveness. But I also need your trust. Kids, trust me on this one," Adam pleaded to his team. He also pleaded with Jacob who knew that he was not going to be able to talk any sense into his old friend.  
  
"Jacob," Jesse spoke. "Will you watch Brennan?"  
  
Jacob looked at Adam with a surprised look in his eyes. Adam exhaled and smiled. Jacob responded, "Of course I will. You can trust me. I too am sorry about the projects. We never meant to cause harm to any of you. We really didn't. It's just that a few of us went sort of nuts or were nuts the whole time. I am certain Draper was. But, you need to take one of us with you to protect you. I will go find Samuel. He should go with you."  
  
With that, Jacob left the room and Adam, Shal and Emma all cast eyes at one another and then down at Brennan. "We should tell him," Shalimar said.  
  
"Brennan," Adam whispered into Brennan's ear. "Brennan, can you hear me?"  
  
Brennan stirred and winced as he opened his eyes. Emma immediately connected her eyes with his. There was such pain and fear in his eyes. He had a desperate look but one also that seemed ready to concede to anything. He was about to stop fighting to live; he was about to give up and Emma knew. A tear trailed down her face and one trailed down Brennan's almost at the exact same time. The two were in sync. Just as they had always been since the first day they looked into each other's eyes. "Yeah?" Brennan rasped. It was followed by a coughing bout that drew looks of concern from all of them. Tiny, airborne, invisible to the naked eye drops of blood misted the air that separated the four of them. Shalimar was the only one who could see them, her eyes feral yellow with panic.  
  
"Stay calm now Brennan. Listen to me," Adam was going to try and explain to Brennan that he had to leave him again. Even though he had promised him that he would never leave him again, he had to tell him that he was going to, even if it was only for a little while. "Brennan, the three of us need to go back to the Helix to get some supplies to help you."  
  
Brennan looked up at him with slight panic in his eyes. He darted his blurred vision from Adam to Shalimar to Jesse and then to Emma. Adam read the question.  
  
"Yes, Brennan, all of us have to go. We have to stay together. Now, don't be scared. Jacob here is going to look after you. He is an old friend of mine, and yes, he looks like a monster, but he is a friend." Adam escorted Jacob over to Brennan and showed him to him. Brennan's eyes widened knowing he was one of the monsters he had seen earlier. Only then, his eyes were red. He began to cough uncontrollably again. This time the bloody sputum was not only visible to Shal; they all saw it, it was streaking from the side of his mouth. He closed his eyes and slightly shifted his body, curling his right arm into him and raising his knees into a fetal-like position only he realized, one of his legs didn't move. He exhaled sharply and swallowed his gorge. Tears ran sideways from his closed eyes and dripped off of his ears to the floor. He shook his head up and down in defeat acknowledging their need to go, giving his permission. He doubted that he would see any of them again anyway. He just hoped the end would be quick and that they would get out safely. All he cared about anymore was them. He knew he was finished.  
  
Shalimar gave Brennan a kiss on his forehead and told him to hang, that she would be back. She drifted slowly from his bedside not able to take her eyes off of him. She reassured herself with the rise and fall of his chest. He swallowed again and coughed under his breath. Jesse was next. He squeezed his hand with everything he had which elicited Brennan to open his eyes and look up at him. Jesse read Brennan's look and answered him while staring into his eyes. "Brennan, you are going to live. Do you hear me? I will take care of the girls until you are on your feet again. I promise." Brennan smiled and shook his head and Jesse released his grip to go and join Shal. Adam was next. He had tears in his own eyes now. Brennan looked up at him, having never seen him cry until this day. Brennan needed to tell Adam. "Adam," He gurgled, barely audible, "I love you like a dad. I don't blame you." He began to cough. Adam just squeezed his hand and told him to hang in there. Emma was next. She took Brennan's face in her hands again and stared into his eyes. He tried to speak, but she quieted him. "Brennan, do you want me to sedate you? Just blink your eyes twice if you do." Brennan didn't want to be asleep. If he needed to fight, he needed to be awake. He could handle the pain. He blinked twice. Emma's tears were dripping onto Brennan now and he raised his hand and wiped them away from her beautiful eyes. She smiled at him and sniffled. She leaned down and kissed his nose then his mouth then his forehead. They were wispy kisses, just barely touching the surface of his skin. "I love you," she whispered. Brennan smiled and closed his eyes. Emma let go of his hand and joined the other four. They all looked at one- another now confident in what they had to do. They were Mutant X. They were the strongest most able-bodied team around and if anyone could do this task. They could. Adam looked at each of them and with his hands on his hips he asked, "Ready?" They all looked at each other then at Brennan, then at Adam and shook their head, yes. Adam smiled, "Good, let's go find Jacob and Samuel and get this show on the road."  
  
Well, what do you all think? Will Samuel betray them? Will Eckhart come? Will Brennan be captured by Draper again or maybe by Eckhart? Or will Shalimar kick some feral ass and Adam finally square off against Draper? Tune in later . we just may find out. 


	16. Jacob's Lair

Thanks for the reviews you guys! Now, where were we? Oh yeah.  
  
Adam, Emma, Jesse, and Shalimar met up with Jacob shortly after leaving Brennan. Jacob approached Adam, "Adam, I cannot find Samuel anywhere. No one has seen him. He does this sometimes where he takes off by himself and I can never find him."  
  
Jacob was outwardly frustrated. "It's OK, Jacob. I really didn't want to take him out there. I do not want to risk anyone else's life. We have spoken to Brennan and told him that you are going to take care of him until we get back."  
  
Jacob looked past Adam and down the tunnel in the direction of the lab. "Is he aware of me?" Jacob asked, a bit hesitant at what the young elemental might do if he woke up and actually was aware of his surroundings.  
  
"Yes, Jacob, yes," Adam replied. "He knows what you are and that you are a friend. I really do not expect him to wake up, though, Emma used her powers of persuasion to and made him comfortable." Adam looked at Emma but she did not reveal anything. She did not indicate to Adam or to the others that she had left Brennan alone and awake. For some reason, she was receiving signals from all around her not to trust that information with anyone. For now, she would keep that between Brennan and herself.  
  
"Come then, I will show you the way back to the entrance," Jacob said as he proceeded past them and took the lead up the tunnel. Adam filed in first, then Shal, then Jesse, who looked back at Emma, lingering by the lab. "Emma, you comin?" Jesse asked.  
  
Emma responded to Jesse without words. Jesse immediately understood and ran back to her. He, too, took one final look at Brennan. "We are going to be back, Emma," Jesse whispered in a soft tone.  
  
"I know," Emma said as she allowed Jesse to guide her into the tunnel. "I know that I agreed to this, it's just .," Emma stopped in mid sentence and finished it silently ... Something isn't right and I just hope it's not too late when we get back.  
  
XXX  
  
Samuel reached Draper's location without difficulty. He knew where he was. Draper had finished cycling energy and was now manipulating a computer, attempting to store his precious electricity. Samuel startled him. "Mr. Draper . Sir?" Samuel stated as he stalked into the room.  
  
"Good God, Samuel, don't startle me like that!" Draper yelled back. "What do you mean by bothering me now?"  
  
"Sir, I . I ."  
  
"Speak up, Samuel, what, have you degenerated so far that you can no longer speak?" Draper laughed at Samuel, mocked him.  
  
"No, sir, sir, I have news . news about Jacob and some others."  
  
This last word caught Draper's attention and he ceased his laughter. He walked over to Samuel. His eyes danced with electricity and his mood was crazed. The animal in Samuel screamed at him to flee; but he didn't. He stood there, like a loyal domestic willing to receive the beating from his master in return for a moment of his time. Draper grabbed Samuel by his shirt and hauled him off his feet. Samuel received intense shocks from the contact and cried out in agony. "What others?" Draper spat directly into Samuel's face. Then, he dropped him to the floor.  
  
Samuel crawled back to his feet but cowered. He did not meet Draper's demanding stare. "The others, sir. The one that I captured for you on the docks the other night. and, and others. Two males and two females, sir. One of the females is . is . well, sort of like us. Her eyes glow." Samuel waited for the kick that was sure to come, that always came, before he got his reward.  
  
"The one you caught?" Draper was astounded. Instead of kicking Samuel, he grabbed him again and lifted him to his eye-level. "Is he large, with black hair and rather, well, rather ."  
  
"Torn to shreds?" Samuel responded eagerly, as he remembered Brennan.  
  
Draper laughed when he noticed the gleam in Samuel's eyes as he thought about the beaten elemental. "Yes. He goes by the name of Brennan?"  
  
"Yes!" Samuel exclaimed. He nearly could not contain himself anymore. The master seemed happy with his information. He would ask for his reward soon. "Yes, and the others, their names are Adam, Emma, Shal-something, and Jesse."  
  
"That would be the rest of Mutant X," Draper informed Samuel. "Samuel, this is very important. Where are they now? Does Jacob have them secured?"  
  
"No, sir, he doesn't."  
  
"Why not? That doesn't make any sense, Samuel! You know that Jacob and his minions secure anything they catch. Especially so many and a feral female, I can't imagine Jacob would give that up easily. And, they haven't eaten the elemental yet? How have they controlled themselves with so much blood?" Jacob was surprised. He had set Jacob and the others up in their lair to stalk and kill. They were his army. They were his pride and joy. and now they were failing against Mutant X? That was not acceptable.  
  
"No, sir. It seems that Jacob is a friend of this, Adam-person. He won't touch him. In fact, he is helping him to try and escape." Samuel was nervous again. He didn't like it that Draper was angry with Jacob. That could be bad for everyone. Jacob and the others like him had been living well lately with the test subjects that Draper continued to bring in. When Draper was through with them, he turned them loose into the dome and it wasn't long before Jacob and the others caught them. Then, they all would feast. But this time, Draper didn't seem happy with what Jacob was doing. That must be why he told him to watch Jacob. Now Samuel understood. Draper must have suspected that Jacob would betray him to this group.  
  
"Sir, I have other news on where they are right now. They are currently split up and vulnerable. But, I have a request. In return for such valuable information, I would like to have the elemental all to myself. Not dead this time, either. I never was one of the hunters in the pack and I am not allowed to be. Just this once I want to hear its last scream as I dig my fangs into its flesh. Please, let me have the elemental before the others. They can have this Adam and the rest of his pack." There, Samuel had made his move. He felt strangely confident with it. He actually thought Draper might agree with the request.  
  
Draper was furious with Samuel. How dare this little nothing-freak try and hone in on his domain. These were matters for his decision and Samuel served him. But Draper also knew that it was best to keep Samuel on his side. So, he complied. "Of course, Samuel. I was finished with him anyway. But, I want you to bring him - still alive - if possible, to me, here in the lab. Can you do that first? I also want to hear his last scream."  
  
Samuel couldn't believe it! He was so surprised and happy. "Yes sir, yes sir!"  
  
"Samuel," Draper asked, "Aren't you forgetting your end of the bargain?" Draper wanted to know about Adam and the others and Jacob.  
  
Samuel was so elated he had forgotten. He chuckled to himself "Grruf, of course, grrrruf. I forgot. I will show you on the cameras now that you are able to view them." Samuel and Draper disappeared down a small passage to the video room where Draper spent the majority of his time. He had hidden cameras all over Jacob's lair and many more out in the forest. They would find the group and bring them in. He decided, however, that he also had to do away with Jacob. Then, it would be time to call Mason. Oh, how happy Mason would be to finally have Mutant X. That would lure the actual Mason Eckhart here, to his domain. However, he would have to let Samuel have the elemental. He would record the episode on tape for Mason to see. Then, as for Mason . well . that would depend on Mason.  
  
XXX  
  
Brennan was incredibly forelorn. He could not believe that he had killed his step-father. He couldn't believe his mother was doing this. He couldn't believe he had destroyed what little, pathetic life he had ever had. He was begging his mother not to do this. He saw Genomex approaching through the back window of the car. His mother was not speaking to him but she was crying. She was shaking, too. "Mom, please!" Brennan pleaded. "Please don't do this! I'm sorry. He would have killed me, mom, and you too!" She wasn't listening. The car stopped and agents came up to the car. It was Shalimar who ripped him from the car. Jesse and Emma were holding guns on him and Adam was talking to his mother. They all proceeded into Genomex. Brennan started to plead with Adam not to let his mother do this. All of sudden his mother was Adam and Adam was Eckhart, no, he was Draper. He was screaming at Adam to stop. "Adam, please don't leave me! Please don't leave me with him!" Draper grabbed Brennan and as he turned to look at Adam, he saw that he was laughing. Brennan began to cry as Draper pressed a needle into his arm. He started to suffocate. He began to tell himself that this was just as dream. "not real, not real, only a dream, not real.." On and on he repeated the mantra to himself. Then .  
  
"Not real!" Brennan screamed as he pulled away from Jacob with a start. He fell off the gurney and crashed onto the floor. Jacob was startled so much, he broke the needle off in Brennan's arm.  
  
"Wait, son, it's me, Jacob, the friend Adam told you about. I am here to help you," Jacob tried to use the calmest voice he had. Brennan was attempting to get up. Jacob didn't dare call anyone else other than Samuel. He couldn't risk them around Brennan in such a fragile state. He had risked it once to pick Brennan up and bring him here. He knew he dared not press his luck.  
  
"Get away from me!" Brennan gurgled. Barely able to breathe. His chest hurt terribly as did the gunshot wound. His head was spinning and he was so cold his bones actually ached. He tried to form an electrical arc to protect himself but was too weak and wet with sweat from his fever. He simply could not get it together.  
  
"I am not going to hurt you," Jacob tried again. This time he came around to the other side of the gurney. He placed a furry hand on Brennan's arm and Brennan looked into his eyes. He noticed that they were not red this time. He decided not to fight until he had to.  
  
"What," Brennan breathed, "What were you giving me?" more quick, raspy breaths in between his words, "Don't, don't inject me with anything. Leave me alone."  
  
"Son, it was just more antibiotic. Your veins have collapsed where the IV was and I can't find anymore that are stable enough to start another one. Your blood pressure is too low. I have to give it to you as an injection." Jacob was being honest here. He really did want to please his old friend, Adam. He couldn't figure out why. He was all ready for the new test subjects to be released and for the thrill of the hunt and the kill. But, when the storm began and he saw Adam again, something changed in him. He hated having to lie to Adam about how they had escaped from Draper. But, there was no way he could have told Adam the truth - that he was part of Draper's army - that the young molecular had been right - that it had been a plan. Adam never would have trusted him and they certainly would have been dead. He truly felt sorry for Brennan and Adam and the others, but did not know why.  
  
"I have to stay awake until they get back," more breathing from Brennan.  
  
Jacob helped Brennan back up and into bed. Brennan bit his lip so hard it actually began to bleed. He was stifling his scream. Once he was covered back up, Brennan watched as Jacob injected him again, with a different needle. Jacob tried to get the other one out but didn't want to cause Brennan anymore pain. He would wait until he was asleep again to fish it out. He marked with a pen where it was and left the lab to check on the others. He still couldn't find Samuel and that really worried him.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam was leading the group through the forest. They were only a few hundred feet from the cave entrance when the next crack of lightening hit. It struck a tree not 10 meters from their location. Shalimar jumped in panic as she saw the fire. They began to run. All of them locked hands and put their heads down into the driving wind and rain. They were in a serious storm and knew that the danger was very real. Fear would become their enemy as it caused them to quicken their pace. Adam hoped that they wouldn't run into anything - like lightening, a tree, or some of Draper's minions. He had no idea that he was being watched.  
  
"I see the Helix!" Shalimar yelled after about 5 minutes. It was not far from the cave entrance and they had been running like wild to get there. She estimated that they had run about ¾ mile. They all veered off towards it. It was like a mini-Sanctuary.  
  
Thank God, Adam thought as they jumped into it. Another bolt of lightening just missed Jesse as they rolled aboard. Their bodies were soaked and they were breathing heavy, but they made it. Everyone smiled at each other as they set out to work.  
  
XXX  
  
Someone else was smiling as he approached the cave entrance. Draper and two minions proceeded to move a stone away from a tunnel entrance. They noticed a lot of blood on the floor of the cave. It excited the beasts. "Samuel, you come with me and get your prey. The rest of you Draper pointed at the remaining 10 beasts go out there and find this Helix and bring back your prisoners. You must bring them to me, however. I want them alive."  
  
The beasts looked out at the storm with fear and resistance. "Don't worry," Draper said, "the storm may be raging out there, but it is nothing that will rage in here if you fail me. Get out there and do as you are told!"  
  
With that, the beasts cautiously left the cave and disappeared into the raging storm and Draper proceeded down the tunnel towards Brennan and Jacob. Samuel wiped the cave floor where Brennan's blood lay thick and caked. He tasted it off of his claws and smiled - his fangs gleaming with the electricity the filtered into the cave from the lightening outside. His eyes were feral red and glowing with anticipation, greed and madness. He literally leapt through the opening to join Draper in Jacob's lair. 


	17. The Threat is Real

"Adam," Jesse yelled. Jesse had seated himself in the main computer control terminal of the Helix to see if the computers could provide any type of damage report indicating systems that needed repair. "It looks like the computer is booting up. It is on auxiliary power but appears intact."  
  
"Good, good," Adam replied. He was in the back room of the Helix with Emma trying to see what he could do to forage some type of medical support system for transporting Brennan. "Keep up the good work. Let me know if you need my help. Is Shalimar up there with you?"  
  
"Yeah, Adam, I am here," Shalimar yelled back. She had seated herself at the pilot position to aid Jesse in getting the Helix back on line. "What do you need?"  
  
"Nothing, Shal, I just wanted to make sure you were still on-board," Adam replied while walking back out into the main room. "I don't want any of you venturing out into that storm. We almost got hit a few times getting here."  
  
"Oh, you don't have to worry about me, Adam, I am NOT going out there again until this thing is over. I can't believe we actually got here alive!" Shal exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah," Jesse continued. "I know what you mean. Don't worry, I am not going anywhere until I know that the Helix is repaired and we can get Brennan and ourselves out of this crazy place."  
  
"I wonder how he is?" Shalimar asked under her breath and fearful of the answer.  
  
Adam cocked his head and pursed his lips with a little sympathetic grin and said in a low tone, "I don't know, Shalimar. But Emma and I are actually having some success. It doesn't appear they hit the back room of the Helix. You know, these creatures should have been smarter than this. It surprises me really. They were scientists and technicians for Genomex. They were not at all marginal people; they were all very intelligent."  
  
"Maybe the mutation is slowly degrading their ability to use complete thought processes," Jesse replied while punching away at the keyboard. Another crack of lightening immediately followed by an earth-shattering rumble caused all of them to startle. "I sure am glad the Helix is grounded."  
  
"Just keep working. I want us out of here and back with Brennan as soon as possible. We are sitting ducks out here when this storm quits," Adam mentioned as he rejoined Emma in the back room.  
  
Emma had been silently preparing things for Brennan. She checked on him every now with her mind. So far, he had been peaceful, but now, as Adam came back into the room, Emma got a terrible hit off of him . no .. not him . someone else .SAMUEL! Brennan was in trouble! She screamed and dropped her bag..  
  
XXX  
  
Jacob had left Brennan and gone back to his control room. He looked at the communication device he maintained at Draper's order. He thought about using it to reveal the location of the prey as he had done so many times before as Draper continued to test his army. When he broke the needle off in Brennan's arm and induced the sense of panic in him - the sense an animal got once he realized he was about to be eaten, it nearly sent Jacob over the edge. He actually went so far as to tie him down. "Can't let him get away!" Jacob had seethed as he did it. He didn't even know who he was when he got into that state. He convinced himself that he left Brennan alone so he could rest. That wasn't true. He realized that he was losing control. He had to leave him. He just couldn't deny his animal instincts any longer. He hated himself for what he had become. He kept repeating it out loud to Brennan and to himself as he backed out of the lab, he repeated it once more now, before he broke down and cried, "What have I become?"  
  
XXX  
  
Brennan was having another dream. There was a familiar song playing in the background mimicking his life, mocking him. It was the song "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails. Over and over it kept going through his head:  
  
"The needle tears a hole, that old familiar sting, try to kill it all away, but I remember everything. And you could have it all, my empire of dirt, I will let you down, I will make you hurt. I wear this crown of shit upon my liar's chair, full of broken thoughts, I cannot repair. Beneath the stain of time, the feeling disappears, you are somewhere else, I am still right here. What have I become, my sweetest friend, every one I know goes away in the end."  
  
It was one of his favorite songs to listen to when he was depressed. It reminded him of the empty promises of Genomex, his lost family, the days spent having medical procedures, the time spent drinking trying to forget, and being left by everyone he ever cared about in his life. He was at his limit. He wanted to keep fighting, but it was getting so hard. He didn't believe that Jacob was a friend, and he knew deep into his soul that he had not seen Draper for the last time either. Now, he was alone again. If Draper found him this time, he knew he could not survive. He now allowed Emma into his dream. He saw her in his mind. She was so beautiful. But, as he tried to get to her, she kept getting farther away. Typical of this type of dream, he began to run. Suddenly, Draper was behind her, then, he was in front of him - blocking his view of Emma. He heard Emma scream to him to run and hide just as Draper claimed his entire field of vision. He was frozen in place, unable to move, unable to breath, unable to help himself or anyone else.then ..  
  
Brennan's eyes fluttered open. He was alone in the lab. He looked down at his hands and realized that someone had tied them down. Why? He thought. He felt stronger now than he had earlier and formed a charge in his left hand starting the cotton restraint on fire. It seared his skin as it burned. What was a little more pain in his world of hurt? Once one was free, he undid the other. The fire burned itself out. He slowly attempted to rise to a prone position. He was really struggling. It hurt so badly that he thought he would surely pass out. He kept trying while stifling his cries. It was no use. He just couldn't do it. He thought about rolling off the gurney to the floor and crawling to somewhere. But he also knew that an action like that had extreme risks. He was lucky he hadn't begun bleeding last time he fell off. This time, he would try to be gentle. He knew that Emma's appearance in his dream was not simply a figment of his imagination. She was real, and she was trying to warn him. He learned a long time ago to listen to his dreams when they involved Emma warning him. She told him to hide. He had to hide.  
  
XXX  
  
The beasts worked their way through the forest. They didn't know exactly where they were going. All they knew was that they were on the hunt again. Lightening was bursting from the dome and shooting in all directions. Using poor judgment, they kept taking shelter near the trees. That was not a good idea, because the lightening was hitting numerous trees. They began with 10 beasts and now they were down to 8. The lightening had claimed 1 and another had run off. The leader of the group tried to get him to come back. Draper was sure to kill him when he tried to wander back to the complex. The leader of this rag tag group was named Don. He used to be the chief chemist at the facility. He was also one of the first turned by Draper. He was a lion feral and incredibly violent.  
  
XXX  
  
"Emma! What's wrong?" Adam asked running up to her. The other two team mates looked up from their stations. "Emma?" Adam asked again searching her eyes. She looked absolutely panicked.  
  
"We have to get back to the cave! Adam, he's going to hurt Brennan!" Emma pushed past Adam and started for the door. Adam grabbed her arm and Jesse began to get up. "Let go of me! We have to go now!" Emma was out of control.  
  
Shalimar got up from her seat and approached Emma. "Emma, honey, what's wrong? Did you see something? Who is going to hurt Brennan?" She was trying to be as soothing as possible.  
  
Emma looked at Adam, fearful he would not believe her, then back at Shal. "Samuel!" Emma exclaimed. "The beast that was working with Jacob. For some reason I kept connecting with him back in the cave. I didn't feel comfortable when it would happen and I couldn't figure out why. I wasn't even certain it was him!"  
  
"Emma," Adam interrupted, "why would Samuel hurt Brennan? He is Jacob's friend."  
  
"God Adam!" Emma fought back. "It is always Jacob and friend and he would never hurt us, well, I don't lie and neither do my powers and I am telling you that Samuel is bringing Draper there right now and he is going to hurt him!" Emma was going the mile here. She always did when it came to Brennan. Ever since the first day that they met, she knew that they had bonded. He would do the same for her. Adam just looked at her and back at Jesse and Shalimar. They both quickly returned to their seats to finish the task and get back to the cave to see what was going on that could have scared Emma that way.  
  
Jesse was getting lucky, "Adam," he called out.  
  
"Yeah Jess," Adam replied still looking at Emma.  
  
"I think I have it. It appears that the damage is mostly to the immediate interior comfort systems. We have wiring for lighting that has been ruined as well as some gauge controls. But, I don't think the stealth system has been damaged and the radar looks in tact. I'm starting her up," Jesse told Adam.  
  
Shalimar was looking back at them from the pilot seat. She was eager to get back to Brennan. She was getting a really bad feeling about them sitting here so long. It had to have been at least 30 minutes and the storm hadn't produced any visible lightening for at least 10 of them. And She believed Emma. She didn't like Samuel either and none of them trusted Jacob.  
  
"OK," Adam replied, "Let's see what she's got."  
  
Jesse attempted a full systems start-up. It failed on first attempt but came up on second. The lighting inside flashed across the screens and radar was running. There were a few electrical short-outs of interior systems but the Helix could run and hide and that was what was important right now. They all cheered. "Yes!" Adam said in his quick, quip voice.  
  
"Well," Jesse exclaimed, "we know she works. Should we keep one of us here with her in stealth and the other three go and get Brennan? I'll go, Adam. I can't manage him by myself. I have the best chance of getting there."  
  
"I don't know," Adam replied, "The storm appears to be dying down. We may not be able to go anywhere through the forest. I suggest we put her in stealth and set her down right next to the cave entrance. That clearing in front of the cave appeared to be large enough to hold her. I would feel much more comfortable keeping the Helix with us."  
  
"I agree," Jesse said. "Let's go!"  
  
Emma tried to connect with Brennan. She sent him a message again to hide. She told him to hurry and get out of site that they were coming for him. She urged him to hang on.  
  
XXX  
  
Feeling Emma urge him to hide again, Brennan rolled his legs off to the side of the gurney. He touched them to the floor before allowing himself a controlled slide. He hit the floor with an 'umph!' He lay there for just a second and let the pain subside in his leg and chest and then slowly began pulling himself across the cave floor. There was a stone in a darkened corner to the side of the room. He decided to kill the lights with an arc. He managed to hide himself pretty well behind the rock and there he decided to stay. He was very weak and struggling to breath again. He would need to rest. As he drifted into darkness, again, he hoped that he was hidden well. He comforted himself with a silent prayer and slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
XXX  
  
Draper and Samuel made their way down the tunnel. It was quite a distance from the main entrance. Draper was elated to be getting Brennan back but disturbed by the recent turn of events with Jacob. Samuel took up the lead. "Follow me, sir, follow me. He is right up here. Not far - no - not far at all!" Samuel was extremely excited. Draper nodded in approval and followed Samuel. He was quite eager himself to get this trouble over with - once and for all. 


	18. Something Wicked This way Comes!

Thanks for all of the support you guys! I will keep writing and will really attempt to update more quickly. I have a lot of ideas for the story.  
  
Draper and Samuel rounded the final corner of the tunnel and entered the main compound. Samuel ran up ahead of Draper and motioned for him to follow. The compound appeared very dark and strangely vacant. Draper wondered where everyone was. He hesitated ever so slightly until Samuel let out a blood-curdling howl. Draper increased his pace to meet Samuel, who was barreling up the hall towards him.  
  
"What is it, Samuel?" Draper yelled.  
  
"It's the human, sir, he is gone. He is not in the lab! He is not anywhere!" Samuel was out of control with rage. His eyes were blazing red and he was growling his words more than speaking them. Draper was actually afraid of him and placed his hand on the gun he kept concealed beneath his dirty lab coat.  
  
"What do you mean he is GONE?" Draper spat.  
  
"The gurney is tipped over, sir!" Samuel cried, "And the lights are out, but I can see! I can see in the dark! He wasn't there! He wasn't anywhere!" Samuel's disappointment was overpowering him. He wasn't even thinking clearly. He forgot to use his nose.  
  
"Samuel!" Draper replied. "Get ahold of yourself! You said that he was badly injured. Where could he have gone? He is likely hiding. He is good at that! Go back in there and locate him with your nose, Samuel."  
  
As Samuel heard Draper's last comment, he began to smile. "Of course! Of Course!" He lept back down the hallway with Draper close on his heels. They both entered the darkened lab. Samuel had his nose to the air. He was sniffing. The stench of blood was strong. Samuel whipped around and looked at Draper. He pointed to the corner where Brennan was laying. "He's over THERE!" Samuel bound towards the corner. Saliva was dripping from his jowls. He approached Brennan's unconscious, battered body and licked his lips with anticipation. He simply didn't know where to begin. It all looked so good. He placed his snout close to Brennan's neck. He could nearly see the blood coursing through his carotid artery. He could feel it. Yes, this is where he would begin. Go right for the throat - the quick kill - the warmest blood. He licked the spot where next he would bite and rip into the flesh of his first kill. Then, as quickly as he formed the thought, Draper dashed it.  
  
"Samuel!" Draper yelled from behind him. "What did I ask You? What did we agree upon?" He reached down and grabbed Samuel by his nape and pulled him off of Brennan. He looked directly into his raging red eyes. He seethed, "I told you that we would return him to my lab. I told you that you would be rewarded in due time. I told you the only way you would be is if you OBEYED ME!" Draper yelled the last sentence and wielded Samuel to the floor. "I am sorry, sir!" Samuel cowered. "I forgot. I forgot! I will bring him, sir. Please do not punish me. PLEASE! I will do as you ask master, I will. Give me a second chance!" Samuel was pathetic. As he cowered, Samuel thought. He sickened himself with his own weakness. He cast a sideways glance up at Draper - waiting for the kick that amazingly didn't come. One day, Samuel would stand up to Draper. One day, he would sink his fangs into his master's flesh and listen to his last screams as well. THIS human, however, he looked over at Brennan, this human would be his practice. He gazed longingly at Brennan who still, thankfully, had not awakened.  
  
"Alright, then," Draper responded. "Samuel, I will handle Mr. Mulwray. I want you to go and find Jacob and bring him here. Do this for me, Samuel."  
  
"Y-Yes sir," Samuel replied. He bounded out of the lab and down the hallway deeper into the compound. Draper watched Samuel exit and formed a lightening ball in his hand to help him see. He sneered when he saw the state of his victim. He nudged Brennan, not too gently, with his foot - it really was more of a kick - to see if he would speak, moan or scream. He did neither.  
  
"You little fuck!" Draper spat on Brennan. "Did you really think you could outwit me? This isn't fucking survivor island!" He kicked Brennan again. "I am the only one who is going to survive here! Me! And you another kick you spit on Brennan again you - sneer well, no one will find your body. There won't be anything to find. But, of yes - first, your friends will find your body - and Eckhart will get to see it as well. But then, snicker then, I might actually let Samuel have you." Draper reached down this time and picked Brennan up by his shoulders. He was not very gentle about it. Brennan's chest wound was bleeding through the bandage as was the bullet wound. Draper dragged him out of the lab and dropped him on the hallway floor. His body hit with a 'whump!"  
  
Brennan moaned and opened his eyes to the greatest horror he thought he would ever see. Draper was standing over him, sneering. "You're awake!" Draper laughed as he raised his foot over Brennan. Brennan's choking outcry reverberated throughout the compound and drifted into an echo as Draper's heel impacted his stomach. The cry diluted into nothing as it reached the outer cave entrance where the Helix was attempting to land.  
  
XXX  
  
Jacob sat alone in his lair. His mind was saturated with thoughts of murder and rage. The storm had nearly ended outside and he could feel it. All human thoughts were eluding him now and the insanity of the feral change was coming to light. Jacob, too, was seeing red again. He got up from his chair and called to his minions, who were banished to their rooms to come out. He called to them through his comlink, "Come out now. Come out and play!"  
  
XXX  
  
The rain and lightening had stopped but the wind was really blowing. It had begun to get dark outside and Jesse was concerned about finding Brennan again in the dimming light. "Adam!" Jesse yelled, "We are about to land. Shalimar, I need you to be ready to hit the ground running. I think the storm has ended. Adam, how are we going to make it into that cave without being detected?"  
  
"Don't worry Jesse," Adam and Emma were getting their gear together. They had an emergency stretcher and pain killer to name a couple of items. "Get us as close to the entrance as possible. Keep the Helix in stealth. Emma," Adam looked at Emma and place his free hand on her shoulder, "You are our only defense against these beasts. You need to be clear and ready to cloak us. Are you ready?"  
  
"I will do anything, Adam," Emma replied. "These bastards are going down for what they did to Brennan and who knows how many other people!" Emma was very determined and very ready. Her powers had evolved more than anyone knew, including Adam. She thought that she could actually kill anything within a half mile radius of her - completely blow their minds away and leave them writhing in their empty shells. But she couldn't do that without hurting her team members. She would have to be very selective in her attacks. Right now, she was seeking Samuel.  
  
"I want Draper!" Shalimar spat. "I'm not leaving before I am able to sink my 3-inch heel into his sad, sick mind."  
  
"Shalimar," Adam cautioned, "We will get Draper in due time. For now, we have to concentrate on getting Brennan onto the Helix and then breaking through the dome.  
  
"Then I'll have to settle for Samuel," Shalimar whispered, out of ear-shot of Adam. Jesse heard though and added, "Then I get Jacob." The two shared a look of understanding and prepared to exit the Helix.  
  
XXX  
  
The minions appeared before Jacob at the same time Samuel did. Jacob was surprised to see Samuel. "Where have you been?" Jacob asked.  
  
"I - I have been - been busy," Samuel stammered. "Jacob, the prisoner has escaped."  
  
Jacob's eyes flashed feral red. He seethed and drool escaped his mouth as he spoke. He grabbed Samuel by the neck and looked at the rest of his minions. With all of his humanity lost, Jacob yelled out an order, "Hunt, find, kill and FEAST!" With the last word, the entire pack rushed through the tunnel, on a direct course of intercept with Draper and Brennan.  
  
XXX  
  
Brennan's terror was escalating. He was choking as he looked up at Draper. Draper let go a bolt of energy into Brennan. Brennan's body jerked upward in tetanus from the shock. He was trying to keep calm enough to form a bolt of his own. All the while he was listening to an approaching roar coming up from the compound depths. He heard animal sounds and feet. He looked up at Draper just in time to get another shock. He threw his head back onto the floor and bit through his lower lip. This time he managed an audible scream. He looked up at Draper with enough hatred to fill a thousand hearts. He would not die in his hands - not today - not ever. No, as Brennan felt his hatred fuel his rage, that rage filled his soul. He focused that rage on Draper just as Draper looked away from him and down the hallway. He looked back down at the seething, bleeding Brennan and quoted the title phrase from a story Brennan was all too familiar with, "Something wicked this way comes!" 


	19. Shades of Red

Thanks for the reviews! Sorry so long to update. I had too many things to do for school.  
  
Draper moved past Brennan to separate him from the approaching beasts. Brennan was sprawled out on the floor and his breathing was labored. He looked past Draper with fuzzy vision to see what was coming. His fear was confirmed as he saw all of the red eyes. That fear escaladed as he made out who led them.  
  
"Jacob!" Draper yelled. The group stopped. Jacob came forward and spoke to Draper.  
  
"Y-Yes, Master," Jacob stammered.  
  
"Where are you all going and just what is going on here? You have this in your custody and don't tell me?" Draper raged. He gave Brennan a swift kick when he referenced him. Brennan howled and tried to protect himself - he curled up in pain. Jacob looked down at Brennan and then back up at Draper. The kick Draper delivered to Brennan excited him, he went feral for just an instant then calmed down. He then glanced at Samuel who had been hanging back from the rest of them. He considered his position and then chose to answer.  
  
Jacob gestured to the rest of the beasts as he answered, "Sir, I was gathering the rest of us following the storm, sir. I didn't tell you about our captive because I wanted to have all of them in custody before I did. The storm stopped us from collecting the rest. I - I apologize if this troubles you. I assure you, I had the best of intentions."  
  
Draper wasn't buying it. He knew the truth and had not yet decided how long he was going to let Jacob grovel before he put him out of both of their miseries. "Jacob, he was about to escape. Why didn't you have anyone watch him?"  
  
"I did, sir," Jacob lied, "I had Samuel watching him." Here Jacob made a mistake. He had not actually known where Samuel was and he did not even slightly expect that he had been with Draper. Draper was no longer going to deal with Jacob. If there was any doubt in his mind earlier, none remained. He could not trust Jacob and was going to rid himself of him. He had just lied straight to his face.  
  
Samuel came forward in the group and stood in front of Jacob. Jacob flashed feral red at Samuel. Something wasn't quite right, but Jacob couldn't seem to figure it out. Samuel proceeded toward Draper and Brennan and then past Brennan to stand behind Draper. Jacob was astonished.  
  
Draper yelled to his minions behind Jacob, "All of you! Proceed with your duties. Find the other four intruders and bring them to my compound. Do not kill them! I want them alive for now. Do you all understand?" The creatures began to move forward and past Draper and Brennan. They joined Samuel who proceeded to lead them towards the cave entrance. Draper put his hand out as Jacob, too, began to move forward. "No, Jacob, not you, you stay with me. I need you to help me get this one another kick to Brennan back into my compound.  
  
Brennan winced as Draper's foot came into contact with his hand. He had been hugging himself, curling up as tightly as he could to protect from any more of Draper's blows and it worked, only this time the back of his hand had taken Draper's abuse. He began to cough when he saw the beasts approach him. Despite his best efforts, he could not understand everything that was going on around him. All he knew was that Jacob was not who he promised he was, he was not a friend, Draper was back and had him again in his clutches, he was alone, again, and this time, he was certain he was going to die. All he hoped for was that the rest of the team had gotten away and that he would mercifully pass out before they started in on him again. He prayed that he would not be put back in the chamber. "God, please, not the hole," Brennan pleaded out loud.  
  
Draper leaned down and forced Brennan to roll over again. He spat on him as he slapped his face hard, "What? Slap Did you say something you little fuck? Slap you nothing! Slap " Draper was alternating the sides of Brennan's face he was hitting him on as he berated him. "You don't want to go back in the hole?" Draper mocked Brennan in a whining voice. "Poor baby mutant scared of the dark?" Draper grabbed Brennan's chin and forced him to look at him. Brennan managed to open his eyes halfway; his face contorted in pain and he grabbed hold of Drapers arms to steady the grip he had on his face. Draper used his other hand to grab both sides of Brennan's head and began to beat his head against the floor as he spoke each word independently and slowly to make sure Brennan understood. His head slammed against the floor with each word Draper spoke, "You don't even count, you bastard!" He pulled Brennan's face up within an inch of his own and seethed final words. Brennan noticed the stench of his breath. It was hot and acrid. The words smelled like the death sentence they delivered, "You will die today, Brennan. And as you do, you will pray for the hole!" Draper threw Brennan's head back against the floor one last time before he rose. He told Jacob, who had been watching the episode with great interest, to pick Brennan up and carry him to the chamber. Jacob smiled when Draper told him not to worry about being gentle. Jacob loved to hear scream. He loved agony. He adored suffering.  
  
Jacob picked Brennan up and slung him like a doll. Brennan vomited all over the back of Jacob's coat as his damaged ribs and abdomen connected with Jacob's shoulder. He thought his leg separated again too. To his dismay, however, he didn't pass out. He was awake and this was going to be bad. He withdrew into himself and thought about his ability to shock Jacob. If Draper would just get further ahead of him, he could shock Jacob and then hit Draper. But he would have to be fast and his aim would have to be perfect and right now, he could barely see. He cursed himself and this situation. The pain was almost unbearable as Jacob sauntered up the tunnel to the main cave. He was jarring him with every step and pulling on his broken leg. He didn't want to die this way, but if he was going to escape, he would have to try soon or he would surely die. He couldn't be put back in the hole, he just couldn't and he knew that Draper told Jacob to put him back down there. He screamed out loud as Jacob repositioned him on his shoulder. Jacob merely laughed.  
  
XXX  
  
Jesse and Shalimar took the lead off of the Helix. Adam and Emma bore their medical equipment and followed them. Shalimar immediately sensed danger and went feral yellow. Jesse stopped short and began to look around. "What's wrong, Shalimar?"  
  
"I don't know, Jess. Something's not right. Something has changed," Shalimar was very nervous. She was staring in every direction, literally turning in a circle. Adam and Emma were running up to them from behind.  
  
"Of course something has changed," Adam said as he and Emma sprinted past them, "The storm is over."  
  
Shalimar and Jesse followed and Shalimar yelled to Adam as she broached his progress. Emma nearly tripped over Jesse as he and Shalimar stopped them both. "No! Wait!" Shalimar yelled grabbing Adam's arm. "Emma, go global, see what's out there," Shalimar pleaded.  
  
"Shal, there isn't time!" Emma yelled back. Shalimar and Jesse both begged her with their eyes. "Oh, all right," Emma agreed. Quickly, she gathered her powers and opened herself up. It was not long before Emma began to scream out. The other three helped her come out of her trance.  
  
"Emma, what did you see?" Adam gasped.  
  
Emma looked at each of them individually and then all around her, searching the woods and trying to see above their heads. Her expression was one of panic. Adam managed to get her to look at him. He had a solid grip on her upper arm to keep her from running. She immediately began to weep. "Emma! What?"  
  
"You guys, they've changed. The beasts, Jacob, Samuel, they all have changed!" Emma looked at each one of them while she spoke.  
  
"What do you mean that they have changed? Emma, what has happened?" Adam took the lead in the conversation with Emma. Shal and Jesse looked on. Jesse was keeping an eye on the cave entrance and Shalimar on the adjacent woods.  
  
"I don't know, Adam. They're evil. They are all evil. They are like, really mean animals, Adam. I can't get a human read off of any of them! And Brennan, oh Adam, Brennan!"  
  
This brought the immediate attention of the other two and all three team- members looked at each other before looking back at Emma. Jesse spoke first. "Emma, what about Brennan? Where is he? Is he alright?" Jesse was about to start running towards the cave entrance when Emma replied.  
  
"Jesse, it's too late. Oh, you guys, it's too late. They have him. Draper has him again!" Adam just looked at Emma and then at Jesse and Shalimar. Adam looked back at Emma and pulled her into him and stroked her hair. He was trying to calm her trembling body. He didn't even notice that both Shalimar and Jesse had taken off for the cave. None of them noticed a small group of beasts exit the woods behind the Helix. They were moving right for them. Don saw Adam and Emma immediately and went into his feral mode and crouched down. He saw them through a cloak of red and began to stalk his prey. 


	20. Too Scared to Run

Hey all, hope I can keep updating. Thanks for the reviews! Now, Brennan .  
  
Brennan could barely remain conscious as Jacob bounced him on his shoulder. His body hurt and the blood was rushing to his head. Dizziness was threatening to detach him from reality and if he wanted to get out of this, he couldn't let that happen. He decided to try and reason with Jacob.  
  
"Jacob," Brennan coughed, "Jacob, why are you doing this?" Jacob did not respond. He merely growled and tossed Brennan further on his shoulder, which caused Brennan to cough. Jacob growled again. "Jacob," Brennan was pleading now. "Jacob, please, Adam is your friend! I am your friend! Jacob . we can help you. Please, please don't follow Draper back. He's going to kill me, Jacob. You have to help me!"  
  
Brennan's pleading only served to infuriate Jacob further. The prey suffering was all Jacob could think of when he thought of Brennan begging for his life. The excitement was too much for him and what he did next not only shocked Brennan, but it also startled Draper. Brennan was coughing again when it happened. Jacob let out a horrific growl and howl, turned his head sideways and bit into Brennan's hip as he carried him. Brennan screamed in agony when Jacob succeeded in ripping off a large chunk of flesh. Brennan was horrified. The pain was unthinkable and he hit Jacob with everything he had left both physically and electrically. Jacob tossed to his side as Brennan did this and both of them tumbled to floor of the cave. Jacob landed on top and tried to bite Brennan again. He ripped his claws into Brennan's shredded chest. Brennan was losing his battle with reality. He couldn't believe he was being eaten. It happened too fast. He tried to get another charge off but he couldn't concentrate. He was screaming. He had his arms in front of his body and entangled in Jacob's fur. He was trying to fight him off. The last thing he saw was Jacob's teeth coming for his throat; the last thing he heard was the sound of Draper's voice. It too was screaming.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam and Emma released each other from the embrace. Emma looked at Adam and tried to regain her composure. Adam looked up to see where Shalimar and Jesse were when he saw Don and the other beasts closing in on their location.  
  
"Emma!" Adam screamed as Emma whirled around to see them herself. There were at least eight of them that she could count and they were almost on top of them. Adam pulled out a gun and began shooting. Emma drew upon her gift and started psionic blasts. They managed to take down three of them but Don got through and hit Adam. They tumbled to the ground in hand-to- hand combat. Emma looked at Adam and then at her own attackers. Two of the beasts brought her down. It wasn't long before both Emma and Adam were unconscious and lying on the ground. Shalimar and Jesse were nowhere in sight.  
  
Don stood up and gave Adam a swift kick to make certain he was out. The two who were on Emma were beginning to bite at her. "Halt!" Don yelled from his position. He ordered the two beasts that were observing to stop the others from hurting Emma. An animalistic growling match ensued with all four of them circling Emma. They managed to stop the attack but were now trying to fend them off. 'Everyone! Maintain your position!" Don yelled again. "We are not to injure them! Dr. Draper wants them in the compound first!" The beasts were beginning to control themselves and backed away from Emma and Adam. Don was relieved. He didn't like killing members of his own pack but he would if it meant pleasing Draper. He continued, "Before we left the compound, Draper informed me that he needed them for something." The beasts looked at each other in confusion and then back at Don. "Don't' worry, my friends, you will have them. Draper just needs them first. Now, collect our kill and let's get back into the compound, it is beginning to cloud in again," Don finished. The beasts grabbed both Emma and Adam and slung them over their shoulders. They headed back towards the woods with them. "We will use the wooded entrance to the compound," Don said, "I don't want to run into Samuel!"  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar and Jesse had nearly reached the cave entrance when they heard Adam scream. They turned around in time to witness the attack. Shalimar immediately went feral and began to run back, but Jesse caught her and threw her to the ground. "Jesse!" Shalimar screamed. He pressed his hand over her mouth and held her down. He whispered to her so as not to warn the beasts, "Shalimar! Shalimar, listen to me." Shalimar's eyes were wild with panic, but she did not fight her friend. "Shal, there are too many of them. We couldn't even fight one of them, remember? Remember?" Shalimar's eyes began to calm down. Tears were streaming from them now in frustration and defeat. Jesse was crying as well.  
  
"We can't help them Shal. We can't. The only thing we can do is get away and follow them. Shal, we will follow them." Jesse let go of Shal's mouth now. Shal put her hand up to her face and sobbed silent tears for her pack. "Jesse, what about Brennan?" Jesse glanced back at the cave entrance in time to hear other noises - growls and grunts - coming from within. "We can't help him now, Shal. We have to get hidden and follow Adam and Emma." Jesse got up and helped Shalimar to her feet. As they ran towards the woods, following Don and his minions, Shalimar took one last glance back at the cave. Her sad eyes once again turned angry and her determination and resolve once again glowed yellow. She looked back towards the woods and picked up her pace.  
  
XXX  
  
Draper looked aghast when he saw Jacob ripping into Brennan. He yelled to Jacob to stop. He failed to do so. Draper decided that it was time to rid himself of Jacob and his unpredictable behavior. He couldn't let him eat Brennan, not before he could show him to Eckhart. He knew about Mulwray and Mason's determination to capture him. He didn't care if he was dead. After all, Mason did put out an order for dead or alive on him. But if he were eaten, Eckhart would never believe that he had caught him. Draper clapped his hands together and formed a ball of electricity. He caught Jacob's attention with the bolt but Jacob was too late. The energy surged into his body and lit him up. His fur singed and began to burn. Jacob fell off of Brennan and rolled. Soon, his body merely lay there, still smoldering from the fire and jerking from the remnants of electricity. Draper smiled and looked over at Brennan. He wasn't moving either. Blood was pooling underneath him and running like a river towards the wall - a slave to the pitch of the floor. Draper walked right through it and pushed Brennan with his foot. No sound, not even a groan emanated from the carcass. Draper's right lip began to twist upward in a half sneer/half smile. He reached down and easily scooped Brennan into his arms. He started back down the cave and entered his compound.  
  
XXX  
  
Jesse and Shalimar had run after Don's group for what seemed like an hour. Every now and then, Shalimar thought she heard something following them but saw nothing each time she turned around. Don and the others had entered a small opening in a hill about 30 minutes ago. Shalimar and Jesse had been trying to decide on their next move. "We gotta go in Jesse," Shalimar whispered while her feral eyes searched for movement.  
  
"I know, Shal, but what if they are standing guard?" Jesse countered. "We could all be caught. I think that I should get up to the entrance and go through phased. That way, if anyone is there, they won't be able to see me and I will be able to overpower them before they can fight back."  
  
"I don't know, Jesse. What are you going to use to fight with? No, just phase both of us and we can go in. I can help you if there is more than one."  
  
"Shal, I have never phased any of you for any length of time. I am worried about being able to bring you back especially if we encounter any resistance!" Jesse was worried and Shal knew it.  
  
"Jesse, listen. I know this is hard, but I'm a big girl. I am making this decision on my own. I know the risks. But if we do not get in there, and I mean right now, we might as well be dead because the others will be and we won't be long behind." Jesse knew Shalimar was right. He was just concerned about what was on the other side of that door.  
  
"All right Shal. We will both go. We should hurry though. It looks like it is starting to cloud in again. I don't want to phase in the rain.  
  
"Agreed." Shalimar said and followed Jesse toward the compound entrance. They looked at each other and smiled before phasing through the door.  
  
XXX  
  
Brennan lay on the cold, wet ground for what seemed like an eternity. He wasn't even certain that he was still alive. Depression seeped into his soul like the dankness of his surroundings invaded his bones. He heard voices in the distance but thought them merely to be the ranting of dreams. He did not want to even try to open his eyes. If by some cruel joke of reality he was not dead yet, he did not want to feel the pain and futility of what had dominated his existence. He wanted to be done, and right now, he didn't hurt. He was merely cold. He was colder than he had ever been. He heard Emma, though. He heard her in his mind. He thought at first that he heard her through his ears. He decided that it was delirium and that she was really in his mind. Maybe the voice was merely a memory of her begging him to hang on. But then, he knew he felt the warm tendrils of her gift snaking through his mind, reaching his psyche and hanging on for him. "Damn Emma, please let me go," Brennan pleaded silently. He heard her reply, he felt it. She clenched onto his mind and twisted it, turned it, forced it to remain - forced him to remain. She caressed him and willed his soul to stay with hers.  
  
"It won't be long, Brennan, hang on," the voice said.  
  
"Emma, no, please, it's too late. Let me go!" Brennan was pleading - begging. Emma in his mind just would not listen. She would not let him go. She would not let him feel. All he had was this space - this limbo state. Then, he thought he heard Adam.  
  
"You can let go of him now, Emma. The morphine should be kicking in," Adam told Emma. She had been staring into Brennan's mind for the past 2 hours while Adam worked feverishly to save him. Thank God Don did not take their backpacks from them when they were captured. All of the medical supplies they had brought for Brennan were in them. When they woke up in the chamber, Adam quickly lit one of the solar lanterns he had packed for light. They were truly aghast when they saw the crumpled form lying in the corner in a puddle of mud. "Brennan!" Emma had been screaming his name as they raced to him. He was covered in new blood from the wounds Jacob had inflicted. But, he was alive. Adam immediately started IV drips and took the healer out and healed what wounds he could. He sutured most of them the old - fashioned way. The bite wound on the hip was severe, though, and Adam could only cauterize and cover it. Some of the gashes in his chest had gone through the muscle. Adam couldn't help those. The needle he was able to remove but the bullet remained. He would deal with that when they got him home. His pupils were not equal and the new bruises on his face and neck helped explain why. He had a severe concussion from blows to the head. His lungs were filling again and the water had weakened him. They moved him to the driest place they could find and wrapped him in blankets to warm him. Adam reset his battered and broken leg and placed an air splint on it. Then he gave him morphine to help stop the pain. While Adam hated the idea of Emma being captured with him, he thanked the Lord that she was there to keep Brennan in a catatonic state until he could help him. Now, however, it was time for her to let go of him and let Brennan wake up if he could.  
  
"Emma, you have to let him go. I need to understand the severity of his condition. I need to wake him." Adam said very cautiously to the now, fragile Emma. She shook her head and let go of Brennan's face. She backed up and let Adam talk to him.  
  
Brennan kept hearing his name being called not by Emma, though, but by Adam. He could not understand how Emma got Adam into his mind. But he was noticing the tendrils releasing their grip on his mind. He noticed a pain creeping into his body now. It was searing every part of his being. He began to breathe rapidly. He knew he was waking up. Brennan began to scream. 


	21. Going Down for the Last Time

Thanks for the reviews, again. Hey, I posted chapter 20 when fanfiction was having trouble so I don't know if all of you read it. Make sure you did before you read this chapter. I am sorry I made you cry, Goldstranger and thanks for all the support, Ace. Keep reading, Electrogurl, it's gonna get better.  
  
Brennan was definitely waking up. The cold and the pain were real to him now. The feeling that was once dull and stagnant was now sharp and very active. It moved throughout his body and then he remembered what his last vision was; and he began to fight.  
  
"Ahhhh! No! Jacob! No!" Brennan choked and screamed. He was thrashing his arms in front of his face, trying to grab onto the beast that was no longer there. His mind tricked him and made him believe Jacob was still tearing into his flesh, biting him, eating him. Adam was trying to control him. He was holding his arms trying to keep him from tearing out the IV that was delivering antibiotic to him. His breathing was very labored in his struggle and he was gasping air in and coughing it out. Adam looked at Emma and asked her to help. She sent calm and soothing thoughts to Brennan. He wasn't receiving her though. He was too panicked. Adam was shouting his name and holding his arms. He finally began to calm down. Adam worried about the reason, though. His breathing was shallow and he had stopped coughing. There was a slight wheezing escaping his lips when he exhaled and droplets of blood were formed on his lips.  
  
"Brennan," Adam whispered. "Brennan, son, wake up now. It's Adam. Jacob is gone. You were just dreaming. Brennan, wake up." When Brennan failed to acknowledge Adam's pleading, Adam looked up at Emma, who was crying silently. Adam cast his eyes at the floor and turned back towards Brennan. He tried again. "Brennan, come on now. Try and wake up for us will you? I know it hurts and that you are afraid. But, Brennan, we are here now. Emma is here too. Come on, Brennan, open your eyes for us."  
  
Adam coaxed Emma to come over and hold Brennan's hand. Adam noticed the marks on her arms when she came into the light. They looked deep. "I'm going to have to look at those when we get back to Sanctuary, Emma," Adam said.  
  
"Look at what?" Brennan weakly responded while opening his eyes to look at Emma.  
  
"Brennan!" Emma enthusiastically replied. Her smile was like a ray of sunshine in this terrible place and Brennan was very happy to see her.  
  
"Brennan," Adam said while positioning his face over his, looking into his eyes. Adam held up two fingers in front of Brennan's face. "Brennan, look at me," Brennan complied. He winced when he turned his head. "How many fingers do you see?"  
  
Brennan tried to turn his head slightly to the side. He was seeing double when he looked at it with both eyes. He thought there were just two. "Two," Brennan finally responded. Adam looked up at Emma and then back at Brennan. "Brennan, try this again. But you have to look at it with both eyes."  
  
Brennan sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm tired, Adam," Brennan replied.  
  
"Oh no you don't," Adam said as he took Brennan's chin in his hand and made him look into his eyes. "Brennan, can you focus your eyes?" Adam asked. He was concerned about the severity of the concussion he knew Brennan had.  
  
"M' fine," Brennan responded. "Adam, listen, Jacob, he tried to kill me. He . he ." Brennan began breathing faster again and was coughing in between his words. Adam told him to calm down. "No, Adam, he tried to . eat . me." Brennan began a real coughing bout now. Adam held his head to the side in case he vomited; he did, all blood. Emma raised her hand to her mouth when she heard what Brennan said. She looked at Adam, who was still holding Brennan, and mouthed, "His hip, Adam, it's a bite."  
  
Adam just shook his head and looked again at Brennan, who for now had stopped coughing. He rested his head back down on the blanket-pillow and wiped his mouth and face for him. Brennan's face was wet with tears. Adam thought how badly those coughs had to hurt. He calculated the morphine time in his mind and realized it was still too soon for another dose. He looked right at Brennan. "Brennan, Jacob attacked you?"  
  
"Yes, after the storm. With Draper. Draper had me. The others . they all went to the woods. Jacob took me . hurt . bad . couldn't fight him, Adam . They all . changed." Brennan was gasping for air in between words.  
  
Adam looked up at Emma and cast his eyes away. He was ashamed that he hadn't trusted Shalimar and Jesse. He was ashamed that once again he had let his children down. He left Brennan with a monster, again, totally defenseless. Adam had tears in his eyes when he looked at Brennan. "Brennan, shhhh, don't talk now."  
  
"Oh God!" Brennan gasped as he finally became fully aware of his surroundings. Panic returned to his eyes. "Adam, Emma, please! We're back in the chamber. Oh God, I'm down here again, aren't I?"  
  
"Yes, Brennan, but this time, you are with us. You are not alone, sweetheart. Don't be afraid anymore, Brennan. It is all right," Emma was stroking Brennan's face and staring deeply at him. This finally worked. He began to calm down. Adam, who had been stooped down on his haunches had fallen backward into a sitting position on the floor. His knees were up and his arms were rested on them. He had his head bowed down. Emma just kept looking at Brennan and stroking his face and whispering hushed words of comfort like a mother would do to her tired child. Every now and then she glanced back up at Adam. Brennan just kept mumbling, "I can't die down here."  
  
XXX  
  
Draper sat up in his control room. He was angry when he saw the medical equipment. How stupid could Don have been not to search the prisoners? "Foolish!" Draper shouted as he banged his fist against the controls. Suddenly, the computer council bleeped. He had an incoming message. There really was only one person it could be. Draper smiled from ear to ear as he typed in his password.  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar and Jesse phased through the door in time to see several beasts mulling around in the hallway. Jesse immediately had them go back out. When he had them both go back solid, he was relieved to Shalimar in one piece again. "Are you OK?" Jesse asked Shal.  
  
"Yeah," Shalimar replied. "God, Jess, is that what it feels like all the time?" Shal was patting her body all over to make sure she was back together.  
  
Jesse smiled a little. "Yeah. Shal, there were too many in there. We can't go that way."  
  
Shal looked at him. She knew he was right. 


	22. Silent Reverie

Thanks for all of the reviews. They keep me going. Sorry this is so short but it came to me while I was on the train and wrote it down quickly.  
  
Nearly two hours had passed since Emma and Adam had been placed into the chamber with Brennan. Adam had finished another lung treatment on Brennan and taken a flashlight to explore the rest of the chamber. He needed to find a way out - soon.  
  
Emma remained with Brennan. She sat next to his prone form. The chamber was dark, cold, wet, and condemning. She looked around into the thick blackness. All she saw was a little flash of light every now and then as Adam's flashlight glanced in her direction. The chamber was so strangely silent. The air was heavy with doom and the silence it created was so loud, it was deafening. She could hear drops of water, Adam's footsteps, her own heartbeat, she thought, and Brennan's wheezing. Every now and then he would cough or gurgle or moan. As she stared down at his lifeless form she contemplated what was happening and what was all too likely to still happen. She held his left hand in her right and brushed his face with her other. She whispered soothing sounds to him when he stirred. She looked down at his hands and gently stroked her thumb over his fingers. A curse from Adam off in the distance startled her from her reverie. It broke the silence. Emma actually welcomed Adam's curses down here; they helped her know she was not alone. She looked back down at Brennan's hands. They were such beautiful hands - so big and strong. She remembered they were one of the first things she noticed on Brennan when she met him - after his eyes, of course and his beautiful soul. His hands, though, they were perfect, she remembered. Now, as she considered their condition, she noticed how battered they were. They were dirty, cut and caked with blood - no longer big and strong. They actually seemed weak, now - childlike and vulnerable. They trembled slightly and jerked every now and then. Adam had told her that it was in response to liver damage, probably, and the infection his body was fighting. She didn't care. At least the trembling was movement - and movement meant life. She would take what ever she could get at this moment. She thought about the first time Brennan had held her hand. It was when he was helping her run away from the GSA in the mall. He took her hand to make sure she would not fall behind. This perfect stranger, who was not a stranger at all, helped her of his own free will. Everyone had wondered if she had influenced Brennan to help her that first day they met. She and Brennan knew the truth - she didn't have to. Brennan was drawn to Emma from the moment he laid eyes on her. She did not have to lay hers on him for him to feel that way; he just did and it had been like that ever since. At first it was a brother/sister relationship. He took care of Emma and Emma took care of him. She recalled when the Pushka nearly killed him last year. She realized that day how much she really cared for him - that it was different - more than a sisterly affection. She loved him more deeply than that. But now, now he lay here on the floor of this horrible place, barely clinging to life. How did they get to this place, she wondered. Adam had walked up behind her without her knowledge and placed his hand on her shoulder. She jumped.  
  
"Oh, Adam, you scared me!" Emma declared.  
  
"I'm sorry, Emma, how is he?" Adam whispered as he bent down and checked Brennan's pulse.  
  
"Still sleeping," Emma replied not taking her eyes off of Brennan's face.  
  
"We are going to have to wake him up again in 20 minutes and get him to cough for us. His next morphine dose is due in about 10 minutes," Adam said as he got up and started to walk away again. Emma shook her head to acknowledge him and dove back into her memories. They had been forcing Brennan to cough to try and keep the fluid from settling in his lungs. The coughing was harsh and Adam worried that he would damage his lungs further by doing so, but he had to do it to stop the pneumonia from worsening. They held Adam's jacket tightly against his ribs and told him to cough. Brennan complied each time. He knew that, even though it hurt, he had to do it. Adam told him to. He always listened to Adam. Even though they fought like cats and dogs, Brennan trusted Adam. He trusted him so much. They were more father and son than any relationship she had ever witnessed. Brennan winced again and lightly cried out. His angst was short-lived, however, thanks to the morphine. He had received 4 doses of it since this began. It was keeping him sedated; that was important.  
  
She heard Adam in the distance again. He was diligently looking for a way out. She felt anguish for him as well. He blamed himself for what had happened to Brennan - to all of them. Emma was angry. She watched Adam's flashlight dash from one side to the other in frustration. She looked back down at Brennan. Nothing had happened to Brennan. Someone did this to Brennan. It didn't just happen, and it wasn't Adam's fault. That monster - that horror of a human being, Draper, was to blame for this. Adam didn't hold Brennan prisoner and torture him when he was a child. He didn't make these beasts. He didn't kidnap Brennan and nearly torture him to death. Draper did. Draper did all of these things - and he was going to pay for them. All of them.  
  
Emma looked back down at Brennan and probed his mind. She plowed through it like an army tank plowed through a jungle. Brennan was notably discomforted by the invasion but Emma didn't notice. She was looking for something - hunting. Her eyes turned black when she found it. The mental impression of Draper in Brennan's mind was that of a horrific monolith. She inspected it, learned it; she carved it into her own memories and thoughts. After she devoured the impression of Draper, she abandoned Brennan's mind as quickly as she had invaded. She cast her eyes forward in search of someone - something. That thing was going to pay for the pain it had caused her family. An evil smile cast across Emma's face as she happened upon her prey. 


	23. Almost There

Just a reminder, I still don't own them. Thanks for the reviews!  
  
Shalimar and Jesse had made their way back to the Helix. It was beginning to get dark and they didn't want to be at a disadvantage to the beasts if they were still out there. Jesse seated himself at the cockpit controls, while Shalimar paced endlessly up and down the aircraft.  
  
"Jesse, maybe we could sneak back in through the cave entrance where we met up with Adam the first time. He had just brought Brennan from where Draper had been holding him! It would be quick and it is getting dark," Shalimar pleaded. Jesse just sat there. He didn't even look at her. He was lost too deeply in his own thoughts to even notice she was talking to him. "Jesse, what do you think? Jess? Jesse?" Shalimar had ceased pacing and was now glaring at the unresponsive Jesse. "Jess!" Shalimar shouted. This caught Jesse's attention but he didn't acknowledge what she suggested. Instead, he suggested something of his own.  
  
"Shalimar, do you remember when we were first coming here last night what Adam said about the tunnels - about the rain?" Jesse asked Shal. He was in the process of rising from his seat. He was obviously excited about something.  
  
Shalimar looked at Jesse questioningly. "Yeah, he mentioned that the tunnels were built as a flood control system and that they filled with water when it rained."  
  
"Right!" Jesse said while walking up to Shalimar. "Shalimar, didn't he also say that they emptied to the river? And didn't Adam say that he found Brennan by going through them?"  
  
"Yes!" Shalimar said finally understanding what Jesse was excited about.  
  
"Shal, collect the climbing gear. Bring a portable stretcher; we're gonna need it for Brennan. I'm going to leave Adam and encrypted message on the Helix control board just in case he manages to get loose and get back here on his own."  
  
Shalimar met up with Jesse by the time he finished the message for Adam. "You ready?" She asked enthusiastically.  
  
Jesse looked up and hit one final button on the panel and grabbed his pack that Shalimar had gotten for him. "Yeah. You got everything?"  
  
"Yep" Shalimar responded.  
  
"Good," Jesse said. "Let's go."  
  
XXXX  
  
Draper turned around quickly to face the monitor that was now beckoning him. He looked at it with the anticipation of a child on Christmas morning. He was elated, for he knew Mason was answering his message. Suddenly, Mason Eckhart appeared on the screen. "Professor Draper," Eckhart addressed, "to what do I owe the pleasure?" Mason was looking at Draper over the top of his glasses. His tone of voice likened one of mockery and Draper noticed it. He didn't care, though. He wanted. no, he needed Mason to come here.  
  
"Mr. Eckhart, sir. I have good news!" Draper emphasized the word 'good'. Mason remained bored. He leaned back in his chair but remained just in view of the camera. He looked away from Draper and at his gloved handsand placed his fingers together in an arch and drummed them against each other.  
  
"Oh? What is it?" Mason mocked.  
  
"Sir, I have Mutant X."  
  
Mason stopped drumming his fingers but left them in place. He looked back up at the camera. "You have what?"  
  
"Mutant X, Mason." Draper was feeling bold and chose to use Eckhart's first name. "I have Mutant X."  
  
"Where are they?" Mason asked, now coming back close to the screen.  
  
"Well, that is the question, now isn't it Mason?"  
  
Mason was used to tricks like this from Draper. He was really quite insane and Mason wished he had gotten ride of him a long time ago. "I'm busy." Mason said as he sat back in his chair. He was ready to click him off when Draper scrambled up to the screen with proof. He was carrying one of the video tapes and told Mason to wait. He placed it in the playback and a picture froze on Mason's screen that made him sit up and take notice. Mason looked closely at a darkened, green image of Brennan Mulwray lying on the floor of a wet concrete chamber and Emma DeLauro and Adam Cain leaning over him. The picture was obviously captured with night-vision but Mason could see the faces very clearly. When Draper flashed back on the screen, Mason was as close to the camera as he could get.  
  
"Well, what do you think of my operation now, Mason?" Draper was mocking Mason now.  
  
"I am utterly speechless," Mason replied. "Where are you holding them and where are the other two?"  
  
"I have them locked up in the hold below and the other two are as good as captured. I also have their wonderful aircraft, the Double Helix." Draper added. "When will you arrive you ugly freak?" Draper could not believe he said that. Mason was astonished.  
  
"What did you just call me?" Mason leaned into the screen. Just then, Draper began acting peculiar. He was taking his pen and drawing all over himself. He was actually digging his pen into his flesh and drawing blood. Then, he clutched at his chest and acted as though he couldn't breathe. The screen tipped over and went out. Mason sat in his chair and smiled slyly. "Why, MS. DeLauro, how powerful you have become." He hit a communicator button next to his phone and summoned his assistant. He told him to have his chopper ready. They were going on a trip.  
  
XXX  
  
Emma was enjoying herself. She liked seeing Draper bleed instead of herself and adored getting to call Mason an ugly freak. She was killing him. She was sucking the life right out of him and smiling while doing so. Adam had come up to her and looked into her jet-black eyes. He grabbed her shoulders realizing what she was doing. "Emma!" Adam shook her. "Emma! You can't do this! Emma, if you kill him, we will never get out!" Emma shook her head then and hit Adam with a huge surge of mental energy. He hit the floor behind Brennan, accidentally kicking him in the head as he fell backward.  
  
Emma sat and looked at Adam, who was pulling himself up off the floor. "God, Adam! Oh God, Adam, I'm sorry!" Emma exclaimed as she got up in a flash to help Adam. Adam took her hand and ran back to Brennan. He knew that he had kicked him as he flew by. "Brennan," Adam said as he checked under his hairline. Brennan did not wake up but looked no worse than he had before. He then looked back up at Emma. Emma looked at Adam and then at Brennan again. Tears were streaming down her face. Adam took Emma into his arms and stroked her hair while mumbling calming words to her.  
  
"Emma, were you trying to kill Draper? Did you actually reach his mind from here?" Adam had broken their embrace and was now looking directly into her eyes, searching them for an answer. He was thankful they were no longer black but sorry that they were so sad.  
  
"Adam, I got so angry for you and Brennan and all of us. I . I don't know what came over me. I stole Brennan's image of him and went searching for him. I found him, Adam. I found him and I was choking him. I made him stab himself with a pen while he was talking to Eckhart." Emma realized what she said just as Adam heard it. "Oh God, Adam. He contacted Eckhart!"  
  
Adam got up and paced back over to pick up his flashlight. He told Emma that he needed to give Brennan more morphine and get him to cough and then both of them were going to have to look for a way out. They may need to climb.  
  
XXX At the exact same time that Mason was boarding a helicopter for a ride that would take approximately 2 hours to complete, Jesse and Shalimar were making their way down the embankment to the river below. They were keeping their eyes peeled for evidence of a culvert coming out of the side of the mountain. It was their only hope. It was raining pretty good outside the Genomex facility and thunder could be heard coming over the darkening horizon. Looking at his pilot, Mason said, "Hurry."  
  
Jesse looked out at the sky and saw the clouds starting and heard thunder way off in the distance as the total darkness of night threatened to take over. He looked at Shalimar and said, "Hurry." 


	24. Out of Time

I am soooo sorry it took so long to update this. I am on a roll again and ready to finish this story. Read on, my friends, it's about to get interesting.  
  
"Brennan?" Adam yelled as he cradled Brennan's head in his hands. He had to wake Brennan up again to get him to cough. "Brennan," Adam was almost whimpering as the young elemental lay limp in his arms, "Brennan, come on son. Don't give up on me. Wake up now, wake up." Adam took his knuckles and twisted them into Brennan's already mangled chest. He was careful not to apply too much pressure but was cognizant to apply enough for Brennan to feel. It worked. Adam rolled Brennan carefully to his side as he began to cough. "That's it, Brennan. Cough it up." Brennan cried out in between the bursts of coughing. Adam cringed at the froth that escaped Brennan's mouth. He wiped his forehead and noticed again how hot it was.  
  
"Adam?" Brennan choked. "Adam, please - please.." Brennan didn't know what exactly he was begging Adam for. Maybe some relief from all of his pain, maybe pity, maybe an end to his misery - to make him better or just to let him go. Adam was adamant. "Brennan, listen to me now. You have to try and stay awake for me." Adam was cradling Brennan again and rocking him gently in his arms.  
  
Brennan opened his eyes - his now pale, glazed eyes. He directed their stare at Adam and searched his for some form of hope. Brennan wanted to live. He had worked so hard to get this far. He wanted to see the other members of the team again. He wanted to live and make a difference in the world. He wanted to see the monster that had done this to him dead. He wanted to be the one to do it. He wanted so much but it all seemed so far away from him now. He looked at Emma who was seated next to Adam on the cold, wet floor. She was holding his hand and entranced on him. She was giving him strength and managing his pain from her mind. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have found her when he did. That day had changed his life. It was the first day he felt like he had purpose, the first day he felt he had family, the first day he felt loved in his whole miserable existence. He cried now for himself. Not because of pain - not really - but because of what he finally found and would not ever be able to enjoy. He was going to die here - here in this cold, dark place at the hands of the monster that had nearly killed him years ago. That bastard was going to win anyway. He sobbed now.  
  
Adam held him even closer and looked at Emma for some direction. He looked back down at Brennan and told him that they were going to get out. He lied to him and told him that he had found a passageway but needed to give Brennan some painkiller in order to move him. Brennan just looked at him and slowly shook his head. He coughed again and watched Emma as Adam injected him with the morphine. "Brennan, try and relax now but try to remain conscious." Adam placed Brennan's head back down onto the floor and covered him as much as he could.  
  
"Alright Emma. I don't lie, so let's find the passage I just told Brennan about."  
  
XXX  
  
"Jesse!" Shalimar yelled. She was dangling from her line at the entrance to a rather large tunnel. Jesse looked over to her and immediately realized what she had found. "Shal, stay there! I'll swing over!" Jesse yelled as he began to rock his way towards Shalimar's position. Shalimar looked out into the sky and noticed the approaching storms. She remembered what Adam and Jacob had talked about regarding the storms and Draper. She knew that the tunnels were going to flood if it began raining hard again. They had to hurry. "Jesse, hurry!" Shalimar yelled again. Jesse worked until he reached her position. He grabbed onto her rope and swung both of them to the side. They reached the entrance to the tunnels with little difficulty and couldn't believe this stroke of luck.  
  
"Good job Shal," Jesse said, "We have to get going. We are almost out of time, here." Jesse warned as he motioned his head towards the building storm clouds. They were noticing electricity snapping in the sky already. They got their gear together and began to progress into the tunnel. Jesse clicked on his flashlight and grabbed Shalimar's hand with his free hand. Shalimar glanced over he shoulder one last time at the retreating light before she turned her head towards the gloomy tunnel. "We're coming, Brennan. We're coming," she whispered.  
  
XXX  
  
Draper was recovering now with the help of Samuel who was seething above his form. Samuel had found Draper lying on the floor of the surveillance room about ten minutes ago. Draper was out cold. Samuel thought about eating him right then and there. What a hero he would have been if he had done so and presented him to the pack. He would then be the alpha for sure. They wouldn't dare try and kill him again or even mock him behind his back. He would be king. But then, Draper began to stir.  
  
"Samuel?" Draper said groggily. "Samuel, is that you?" Draper could barely see and he was desperately trying to remember what had just happened.  
  
"Y-Yes sir," Samuel said as he attempted to help Draper get up off of the floor. "It is m-me, sir." Samuel drooled a little and it dripped on Draper's head.  
  
"Samuel! What is the matter with you?" Draper was returning to his old self as he ripped his arm away from Samuel's and heaved himself to his feet. He looked at the now blank screen and at the time. "Samuel, where is Don? Did he find the others?" Draper was desperately clicking through his screens but the electricity in the air was already beginning to interfere with them again. "Well?" Draper yelled as Samuel stood foolishly behind him.  
  
"I - I don't know, sir, he hasn't yet returned." Samuel really didn't know where Don was. The approaching storm was changing him again and he was feeling rather timid. Draper was livid and mad with worry about Eckhart coming. He grabbed Samuel by his throat and breathed his words into Samuel's face. "Samuel, I want you to find the others. Get out there and get the other two. I do not care if you bring them in alive but bring them in in one piece. I do not want them torn apart. You can have them just as you can have the others down in the chambers once I am through with them. But get out there and do not come back until you have them! Do you understand me?" Draper pushed Samuel back and he hit the floor with a thud as Draper screamed his last order.  
  
"Yes!" Samuel cried as he scrambled away from Draper. Samuel was so tired of this treatment but again; this was not the time to take over. He felt different again and did not understand why.  
  
Draper began looking himself over as he tried to recall why he had passed out. He decided he needed to check on his prisoners.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam and Emma were desperately searching every brick on the walls of the chamber. Adam had found one of the tunnel entrances again but it was closed. He was attempting to find some manual release to get it to open.  
  
Brennan lay on the floor counting his own respirations. He was concentrating on breathing trying to remain conscious. He was beginning to hear a familiar roaring in his ears and was trying to place what its source was. He just couldn't figure out what it was. Emma and Adam were off to his right. He could see the beans from their flashlights dashing about. He was so foggy. He was relieved, however, that the pain had subsided. He thought it was a combination of the morphine and the cold. He couldn't feel his extremities really at all anymore and his hip was numb. What still hurt, though, was his chest and each breath he took was like breathing fire. "God, what is that sound?" Brennan asked himself. Then, just as the answer echoed in his mind, the physical reality of the sound hit his body and Emma's and Adam's screams hit his ears - it was WATER!  
  
"Ahhhh!" Brennan screamed as his body suffered the onslaught. Cold, filthy, rank water was dumping from an opening somewhere above his head. "Just like last time," Brennan thought as the water filled the chamber. "Emma! Adam!" Brennan yelled. The IV that was attached to him was ripped from its connections and Brennan's own form was lifted by the surge of water and thrown against a wall.  
  
Adam and Emma clung to each other and tried to make their way across the chamber to locate Brennan again. Emma saw him and reached for his head just as he started to go under. The water was collecting quickly in the chamber and Adam feared that they had run out of time.  
  
Brennan desperately tried to regain his own composure. He reached back for Emma and Adam and clung to them as they clung to him. They were just trying to remain afloat. "It must be storming again outside!" Adam yelled to the other two.  
  
"Adam," Brennan choked. Adam and Emma both looked at each other and then at Brennan.  
  
"Adam, the water will stop. We will be able to float up and get to where the dump is. We just have to keep swimming." It took all of Brennan's strength to communicate that to Adam. Adam nodded his head and agreed with Brennan that they would stay afloat.  
  
"Just don't let go!" Adam yelled to both of them. They were treading water as hard as they could to try and keep Brennan's and their own heads above water.  
  
XXX  
  
Jesse and Shalimar had made their way up the tunnel and found themselves inside a chamber. "Jesse," Shalimar whispered, "it keeps going over here." Shalimar was moving in a constant upwardly direction. Jesse was checking each chamber floor with his flashlight as they went. He knew they would eventually find them. He just hoped that they would be in time.  
  
XXX  
  
"Mr. Eckhart," the pilot yelled to Mason. "We need to put her down soon, sir. This storm is getting pretty bad."  
  
"We are not at our destination yet." Mason replied in his usual calm, monotone voice. "Keep going." 


	25. Ready Or Not

Thanks for the reviews! I will continue to update regularly now as we approach an ending to this story. For those of you who have not read since before October, read the last chapter before you read this one. Here we go - I still don't own them.  
  
"Adam, I can't see you!" Emma screamed. "The flashlights, Adam, I lost my flashlight!" Emma was in a panic.  
  
"Emma, it's alright. I'm right here. Just concentrate on swimming!" Adam yelled back. The roar of the water entering the chamber was deafening and Adam had to yell in order for Emma to hear him. Adam shook Brennan who had gone limp in his arms and was dead weight for them to hold his head above the water.  
  
"Brennan, Brennan! Stay with me Brennan!" Adam pleaded trying to rouse Brennan again. It worked.  
  
"Adam," Brennan sputtered, "Adam." Brannan began coughing and struggling as he realized he was floating.  
  
"Brennan, calm down," Adam ordered after he nearly lost Brennan from his grip. Emma was trying desperately to keep Brennan's mouth from going into the water. The last thing he needed now was to inhale more dirty water. "Brennan," Emma said in the calmest voice she could muster, "you have to help me, Brennan, you have to stay calm."  
  
Brennan was coming to his senses more now. The cold water had helped clear his mind from the morphine cloud that it was in. "Adam, I can't see. I can't see!"  
  
"It's OK, Brennan, we just lost the flashlight, that's all. Stay calm," Adam comforted.  
  
"Ahhh," Brennan screamed as the pain began to hit him again. The swirling water and kicking legs under the surface were causing his leg and hip to move about and the feeling had returned. He started coughing again.  
  
Adam couldn't believe this was happening. Ever since he was young all he ever wanted to do was help people. He became a doctor to relieve people of their suffering. Now, as he looked at Brennan, the man who had become like a son to him, he cursed himself for what he had done. He had caused this to happen to him and now couldn't do even the simplest medical duty of relieving his pain. Adam's own tears mixed with the rank, filthy drainage water that stained his face as he offered Brennan a promise he prayed he would be able to keep.  
  
"Brennan, I know it hurts. I know it hurts. But I promise you; it will not hurt for long. I will fix it, Brennan. I will fix you. Just trust me. Don't give up. I can't do this without you, Brennan. I can't. I promise the pain will end and we will get out and by tomorrow, Brennan, by tomorrow, you will be warm and comfortable back at Sanctuary." Emma looked up in the direction of Adam's voice and silently prayed he was right.  
  
Brennan took some solace in what Adam was promising and focused on a visions of himself laying in his bed in Sanctuary - warm and safe - surrounded by the people he loved. He knew he would be out of commission for awhile and that the others would not let him out on a mission again alone for a really long time but he didn't care. He just wanted to be home and that desire was enough to keep him hanging on.  
  
"Adam," Brennan choked, "I don't hear the water as much. It must be stopping. The tunnel - just wait for the water to stop pouring - and, the tunnel will be at our surface - Adam." Brennan trailed off.  
  
"I know, Brennan, you told us, son. I know from where the water was falling. It seems to be subsiding a little. I can't see but I will feel for the current. We'll find it." Adam promised. Adam swam both Emma and Brennan across the chamber to the wall. "Emma, can you hold him up by yourself?" Adam asked.  
  
"Yes, Adam, I think so. Will you help me Brennan?" Emma asked Brennan in an encouraging way.  
  
"Yeah," Brennan replied and shifted his body a little to lean somewhat against the wall.  
  
"OK, then I am going to search along this wall. Emma, yell to me if you get tired or if Brennan drifts off."  
  
"All right, Adam," Emma obeyed. Emma began cooing to Brennan to keep him in line with her voice and conscious.  
  
Adam began clutching the wall with one of his hands and reaching up and out of the water groping for the opening. As he did this, he realized that water was still rising in the chamber even though it was no longer dumping on their heads. "The dump is under the water," Adam thought to himself.  
  
XXX  
  
Draper left his surveillance room and proceeded to the lower levels. He mused in his mind what Eckhart would think when he saw the captured Mutant X. He had dreamed of this day. The day he would be able to show Eckhart the experiments he had worked so hard on all of these years. He could finally prove himself a formidable scientist as Eckhart saw his mutants destroy the strongest of the strain that Eckhart and Adam had created. He could see the dome as well. Oh what a day this would be. Another side of him, though, wanted to kill Eckhart as much as impress him. He hated him for exiling him to this place - for cutting him off. He wanted to be part of Genomex again but he would like to run it - yes - take it away from Mason. What a day that would be. He thought about what he would say to Mason as he descended into the lower chambers:  
  
"Oh, Mr. Eckhart, Sir, how nice of you to come. What do you think of my operation now? Why don't you go into the chamber to check on Mutant X yourself? Or, better yet, let Samuel take you to a more comfortable room while I bring them up myself? Oh, What Mr. Eckhart? You don't have time for this? You never had time! You never thought I knew what I was doing! You tried to stop me when I experimented on myself. You said it was too dangerous, but look at me now?" He mused how he would hit Mason with a psionic blast of some sort or an electricity bolt. "I should have been the one to run Breedlove! If it had been me in charge, these freaks would have been ours. We would have had our master race! But now, now I am the one with the master race, and you, you have nothing! You let wishy-washy Kane let them all go! You stupid Idiot!"  
  
Draper had worked himself up into a full psychotic tantrum. He was not clear what was real and what wasn't. He noticed the storm at that point and remembered that he had not properly emptied the chambers from the first rainstorm. Last time when he forgot, he nearly flooded the entire compound. He needed to make his way to the flood control rooms and make certain the chambers were in proper working order. "My guests are going to get a little wet, it seems," Draper mused to himself and he laughed as he made his way to the control room.  
  
XXX  
  
"Emma, are you two alright?" Adam yelled to Emma and Brennan.  
  
"Yes, Adam, did you find anything?" Emma yelled back - the hope obvious in the inflection in her voice. She was doing OK holding Brennan but was beginning to get really tired. She never had been a very powerful swimmer.  
  
"No, Emma, not yet. The water is still rising! I need to go under a few times in order to find how far down the tunnel is!"  
  
"Adam, if the tunnel is under water, what good will it is to us? We can't swim, Adam, there is no way we can get Brennan to hold his breath through a tunnel under the water!" Emma was adamant. There was no way she was going to risk Brennan under the water. If he slipped away or inhaled even one lungful, that would be it. Besides, the water had already weakened him considerably and that with his injuries . no way. "He'll drown! Adam, let me contact Draper again. I can get him to open the chamber, maybe. Adam, I can do it!"  
  
"No, Emma, give me five minutes. It has taken about 20 minutes for the water to fill the chamber this way. We have a few minutes before it reaches the top. Give me a chance, Emma." Adam pleaded. He did not want Emma to contact Draper. She had done so once and now Draper would have an impression of her. Draper was also psionic and he was homicidal. He feared he would be waiting for her. Besides, if he could find the hatch, he would rather pass through it without Draper or his minions waiting for them.  
  
As Emma awaited Adam's answer, a wave of pain hit Brennan. He convulsed in Emma's arms and she nearly lost her hold on him. They both went under the water together. Adam heard the gurgle in the last words Emma uttered and screamed back to them.  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar and Jesse had made their way through the first two chambers and were standing at another tunnel entrance.  
  
"Jesse," Shalimar said. "We have been coming in now for almost 45 minutes. It must be raining by now." Shalimar was worried.  
  
"I know, Shal." Jesse responded. "Let's just keep moving. We'll find them, I promise." Just then, Jesse's flashlight beam illuminated what appeared to be a ladder ascending to a manhole about 20 feet above him. "Shal!" Jesse yelled.  
  
Shalimar made her way over to Jesse and studied the ladder. "Do you think this is where Adam found Brennan the first time?" Shalimar asked.  
  
"It's possible, Shal. And I know that Adam said Brennan had not traveled far in the water when he managed to grab onto this. We must be close!"  
  
Just hen, Shalimar's hearing heard the distinct sound of approaching water. "Jesse, do you hear that?" Shalimar asked.  
  
"Hear what?" Jesse asked as he contemplated the worried look on Shalimar's face.  
  
Shal looked at Jesse, the terror in her eyes was obvious. "Jesse, that's Water!" Shalimar exclaimed.  
  
Jesse immediately hopped into action and told Shalimar to climb. "We have to get to the top of this manhole, Shal! Hurry!" Both Jesse and Shalimar began to climb. They were completely unaware that they were mere inches from Adam and the others just on the other side of the wall.  
  
XXX  
  
"Emma! Brennan!" Adam began swimming back to the position where he had left them. Emma managed to come back up above the surface with Brennan in tow. He had taken in a mouthful of water in his anguish and was now coughing uncontrollably. Adam reached them just in time as they began to go under for a second time. He grabbed Brennan and took Emma's arm and pushed her up against the wall. He managed to get Brennan's face above the water again and noticed this time the coughing had stopped.  
  
"Brennan!" Adam exclaimed as he hit him slightly between the shoulders. The second hit was a little harder and more productive. Brennan heaved filthy bloodstained water from deep in his lungs. He continued to heave and cough and Adam and Emma held him and soothed him as they tread water. Brennan was praying audibly now whenever he could manage to fit words in between his excruciating coughs. "Oh God!" he kept pleading.  
  
"We have to get him out of this water, Emma!" Adam exclaimed. He knew Emma knew that but he needed to voice his thoughts out loud right now and she was the only person who could listen right now. Just then, Adam's head hit something. "What the?" Adam asked out loud. Emma noticed it too as the top of her head touched something. The two of them were terror- stricken at the same time as they realized what it was.  
  
"Oh my God, Adam!" Emma screamed. They had been holding Brennan higher in the water and now his chin was being forced below the water. "Adam, the top of the chamber! We are at the top!" Emma was terrified that they were all going to drown after all.  
  
Adam began feeling along the top of the chamber. Brennan tried to speak as he too realized what was happening but his lungs hurt so badly from the near drowning he had just experienced that it was not easy. Every syllable was like breathing fire and he had to swallow the cough that came with each word.  
  
"Adam (cough), there is a hatch in the (cough, cough) center (cough)(gasp) of the chamber." Brennan got the words out and Adam began to look.  
  
Emma had had enough of this. She decided that even though it was dangerous for her to contact Draper again, she would do so anyway. She looked in the direction of Adam's voice and uttered her intentions loud enough to be barely audible to even Brennan, "You no longer have a choice, Adam. Now we do this my way." She was a psionic and she was desperate. Desperate times called for desperate measures. She plowed through Brennan's mind again to find the impression of Draper and used Brennan's hatred to locate her target once again.  
  
Had it not been so dark, if Adam had not been so focused on finding the chamber hatch, he would have seen the black ripple across Emma's eyes. He would have heard Brennan whimper as Emma invaded his fragile mind. He would have noticed Emma's normally caring, nurturing nature turn to one of vengeance and pure hate. Had be been paying attention to the one he too often ignored, he would have been able to stop her. But he wasn't, so he didn't, and now they were going to have to face Draper one on one whether they were ready to or not. 


	26. The Evil Within

Still don't own em  
  
Emma slammed into Draper's mind like a freight train. He nearly hit the floor when he felt her. He grabbed onto both sides of his head and began to sway. He was screaming at the top of his lungs. He was attempting to gain control by throwing up mental walls every place he felt the searing heat of Emma invade. It only took a few seconds before he had her though. He was throwing up walls not only to stop her but also to trap her. Adam was right. She should not have done this but it was too late now. Emma suddenly felt Draper come into her..  
  
Emma's eyes looked at Brennan who was now fully awake - his pain somewhat ignored with his renewed sense of fear - this fear, though, was of the person who was holding him above the water. Just then, her eyes went black and a guttural growl came from deep within. She slammed Brennan's head under the water and held it just below the surface. Brennan could not believe this was happening. What was she doing? He struggled against her but his injured body just didn't have any strength left and he couldn't. She suddenly let go of him and Brennan took the opportunity to come up above the surface. Emma was trying to keep herself above the surface but was struggling seemingly against herself. Brennan was successfully treading water on his own with one leg but barely keeping his head above surface. He yelled out to Emma. "Emma!" Just then, Emma looked at him and growled, "I'm not Emma you fucked up freak!"  
  
Brennan froze in fear. Emma wasn't Emma. He could barely see her in the dark but that tone of voice was someone else - and he knew whom. Brennan whimpered a bit and tried to swim away. Emma/Draper decided to play with him a little.  
  
"Where are you going? I am going to enjoy killing you with my own two hands!" Emma/Draper easily reached out and grabbed Brennan. Brennan slipped below the surface again and attempted to swim underneath. He couldn't hold his breath, though because of the damage in his lungs and his leg was like a dead club dragging him farther below.  
  
Adam made his way back over to Emma and Brennan's last location. He heard something of a whimper and couldn't make it out over the sound of the water in the chamber. Then he heard screaming and a voice yelling. Adam reached Emma and Brennan and immediately knew what had happened. He looked at Emma and could not see Brennan in the darkness of the black, murky water but he knew he was below the surface somewhere. "Emma!" Adam yelled. He grabbed both of her shoulders and forced her head below the surface of the water. He knew that he would have to choke her out to get Draper to withdraw. It took a bit of effort but she finally started to calm down. He pulled her back to the surface and thanked God when he saw she was just unconscious but still breathing. Then, he thought of Brennan. "Oh Dear God!" Adam yelled. He couldn't let go of Emma to go below to look for Brennan; she would slip below the surface if he did that. "Brennan! Brennan!" Adam was frantic and turning from side to side trying to wake Emma back up. "God! Brennan!" was all Adam could yell. XXX  
  
Jesse and Shal had made their way to the top of the ladder and heard the roar of the water as it began to flow into the tunnel below them. Jesse hoped it would not reach too high into the manhole they were in but also knew that water seeks its own level and if it was at least as high as the manhole in the chamber, it could very likely fill up to them if there was enough water to do so. "Shal!" Jesse yelled, "Get up here beside me! I'm going to try and move the hatch!" Jesse pushed with everything he had at the manhole cover above him; it just wouldn't budge. Exhausted, he yelled to Shal. It was really difficult to hear above the roar of the water. "Shal, I'm gonna phase the hatch. Climb through it as soon as I do!"  
  
Shall made her way to the top and began to climb through when Jesse phased it. She found herself entering a chamber of sorts that was dry. As soon as she cleared the cover, it went solid again. "Jesse?" Shalimar yelled. Just then she saw a phased Jesse climbing through the solid cover. Once Jesse was through, they looked at each other and asked if each was OK. "Shal, we have to be close. I Bet we are on top of the chambers! They could be in any one of these holes." Jesse ran to the first hatch he saw and threw it open.  
  
Light poured in above the grief-stricken Adam. He was nearly blinded by the dim light that shown through the open hatch. "Adam!" Jesse yelled.  
  
Adam couldn't believe he heard Jesse. "Jesse! Jesse!" Adam yelled. "We're down here! Jesse shone his flashlight into the chamber and saw Adam holding an unconscious Emma. "Is she OK?" Jesse yelled. Just then, Shalimar noticed that Brennan wasn't with them. She also noticed that Emma and Adam were slowly moving away from them. They were sinking deeper into the chamber. "Jesse," Shalimar whispered. "Brennan isn't there and the water level is going down!"  
  
Adam yelled to Jesse before Jesse could even comprehend what Shalimar had just told him. "Jesse," Adam yelped, "Brennan is under the water! I can't get to him!"  
  
XXX  
  
Brennan was floating now. He was being pulled below with quite a force. It felt familiar somehow - like he had done this before or at least felt this before. He couldn't breath but that was OK. He thought that his lungs were actually full of water and that was why they were not struggling for air. He was drowning. He felt his body ht the bottom of the chamber and felt at peace for the first time in a while. He felt his eyes closing and his mind receding. The pain in his chest and leg were but a distant twinge now. He was OK with this. He was not sad. This wasn't so bad. In fact, this was OK.  
  
XXX  
  
Just then, Jesse understood and without hesitation he dove through the hatch and into the water just past Emma and Adam. He had his flashlight with him and it was shining through the cold, murky water. He thought he saw something lying on the bottom. As he got closer, he realized it was Brennan. His mind was racing and his heart stopped as he saw the still form of his brother lying lifeless on the bottom of a sewer. He reacted. He shot down where Brennan lay and grabbed him. He didn't notice, however that they were being pulled towards a hole in the bottom of the chamber. He grabbed Brennan and attempted to swim up. He couldn't. Some type of current was holding him under pulling he and Brennan towards the side of the chamber. Before Jesse could figure out what was going on, his head slammed against the wall of the chamber as he and Brennan were force-pulled through a hole not big enough for both of them. They were tumbling now and he lost his grip on Brennan. Jesse tried desperately to find him again - reached out and flailed his hands grasping anything he could. Just then, his arm wrapped around something soft and his body slammed against what felt like a metal pipe. He had Brennan but was stuck against something. Jesse grabbed hold and began to pull both of them up. He realized what he was holding onto within seconds. It was a ladder, and he had been here before. 


	27. Breathe Deep

Thanks for the reviews! Here we go.  
  
XXX  
  
Draper was waiting for Emma to receive him again. He knew she had temporarily lost consciousness and he had to withdraw. He really enjoyed the terror he saw in Brennan's eyes and the fight Emma put up. He felt alive - raw. His head was pounding as his blood pressure soared. He waited for her. He would drown Adam next. Drool was pooling in the cleft of his bottom lip and it began to flow past the lip and drip onto the council he was sitting in front of. He was startled from his trance by an alarm going off on the panel. Mason was arriving.  
  
XXX  
  
Mason was astonished as the helicopter attempted to penetrate the dome. "What's the matter? Why can't you land?" Mason asked the pilot, his impatience obvious in the tone of his voice.  
  
"Mr. Eckhart, sir," the pilot replied, " there is some sort of electromagnetic interference causing difficulty to the control systems." The pilot looked down at the dome of electricity below. He didn't understand what he was looking at but the lightening raging below his helicopter frightened him and he wasn't certain that he could land successfully. Just then, the helicopter made the decision for him as a charge of electricity hit it and knocked out all controls.  
  
"Good God, what happened?" Mason screamed.  
  
"We're hit by lightening, sir. We're going down!" Mason grabbed onto his seat belt and tightened it. Then he looked out the window with a very surprised and frightened look on his face. "Good Lord, Draper, what have you been up to?" He muttered to himself as he plummeted out of the sky.  
  
XXX  
  
Samuel was in his lair as he heard the alarms sound throughout the facility. Draper had a standing order for them to always go to their lairs when the storms erupted. But this time, the alarms were going off and Samuel couldn't contain his curiosity. He was excited and eager. He ventured from his room and headed for Draper.  
  
Don and the others had arrived at the Helix again after Draper had ordered them to find the rest of Mutant X. They were afraid to leave it after the storm began and they were wildly pacing within the fuselage. They noticed a noise above them that did not sound like the regular storms. Don looked out and noticed something lit up coming out of the sky. It landed just beyond the trees. Don looked out at the storm again and the animal instinct got the best of him. He looked at the others and bounded out into the storm in search of the wreckage. Some of the other beasts chose to follow. Some of the others stayed. They were truly wild once again as the new storm raged outside.  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar looked down at Emma and Adam. "Adam!" Shalimar yelled, "I'm throwing down a rope to you. Tie it around Emma and I will pull her up!" Shalimar grabbed one of her climbing ropes from her backpack and clipped it into her belt. She looked behind her for something to anchor to. She didn't find anything that she would trust. She decided to tie a figure eight from the clip and brace her feet, one on each side, on the hatch hole, itself. She would be the anchor. The water was receding quickly, Adam noticed. He also noticed that Jesse never resurfaced. He was so worried that he could barely function. He was having difficulty making even the simplest of decisions when he felt a sense of calm ease into his brain. He looked at Emma - she was awake again. She looked up at Shalimar and grabbed the rope. Adam looked below them and dove under the water.  
  
XXX  
  
Jesse grabbed Brennan and heaved him up until he managed to get his head above the water. Jesse was gagging and coughing, himself from the lungful of the filthy water he managed to aspirate. Brennan was completely limp in his arms. Jesse was devastated and in a state of panic. "Brennan!" he yelled as he shook Brennan to get him to respond. "Damn it, Brennan! Breathe! Breathe!" He shook him again. The water had risen slightly and Jesse had to pull him up another rung. Jesse was begging now and the angst was obvious in his pleas. "Brennan! Come on, Brennan, don't do this! Don't die, damn it!" Jesse laid Brennan to his side slightly and knew what he had to do. Brennan wasn't breathing because his lungs were full of water. Jesse looked at Brennan's already mangled chest and hesitated as he laid his hands above his slightly distended stomach. He knew he had to force the water out but he was so afraid of crushing his chest. It only took him a second, though to realize that if he didn't do it, Brennan would certainly die. Jesse looked at Brennan's emotionless face and pressed gently but steadily inward and upward. Brennan immediately vomited. Jesse noticed still, though, that Brennan didn't inhale. He decided that he needed to breathe for him. He closed his mouth over Brennan's, pinched off his nose, and blew. He let up and repositioned and blew once more. Brennan immediately began to gag and gasp. Jesse tipped him further to his side and tapped on his back gently. He was ever so careful not to hurt him and he cradled him as he coughed. He was rocking him gently in his arms as well as he could in the position they were in. Jesse began to notice the water slowing down and going lower in the chamber. He slowly lowered Brennan down towards the floor as the water level went down. Within a couple of minutes, the water emptied and there was only about three inches on the bottom. Jesse cautiously eased Brennan's battered body onto the floor of the tunnel.  
  
As his body lay in a prone position, Brennan woke up. He coughed and Jesse was over him in a flash. Brennan opened his eyes wider and Jesse held the flashlight so Brennan could see that it was him. "Jess?" Brennan whispered disbelieving what he was seeing.  
  
"Yeah, Bren, it's me. I got ya, you're safe. Just relax, OK? I'm gonna get us out of here." Jesse replied, thankful that Brennan was awake.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"Yeah Bren?"  
  
"Did you kiss me?"  
  
Jesse smiled a broad smile and even laughed a bit. He shook his head at Brennan's demeanor and wiped the water from Brennan's forehead. "Yeah, Bren, and I'd do it again if I had to." Jesse wasn't sure if Brennan heard the comment. He drifted back to sleep. Jesse grabbed his backpack and removed the portable stokes. He began to lay it out to get Brennan on it. He was worried about the others but knew that they were capable of taking care of themselves right now. Brennan needed help and Jesse was the best to get him out of here. He was planning the entire time he was preparing Brennan for transport down the mountain. He was going to take him out the same way Shal and he had come in. Instead of taking him back up, though. He was afraid that he would have to lower him down the mountain. He would make that decision once he got them outside.  
  
XXX  
  
Eckhart woke up from the crash to a terrible smell. When he opened his eyes, his consciousness was met with the grotesque form of Don breathing into his face. Eckhart tried to scream but a rancid paw smothering him stifled it. The last thing Eckhart saw was a pair of fangs far too close to his face. The last thing he heard was the distant scream from who he thought might have been his pilot. 


	28. Let the Show Begin

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. Thanks for the reviews. For those of you who hoped Eckhart was gone . sorry.  
  
Don threw Eckhart down hard onto the floor of the Helix. Eckhart had come to about halfway back. He was cold, wet and terrified. The stench of the beasts was literally unbearable and Eckhart was not in a good mood. "What's the meaning of this?" Eckhart demanded. He looked around at the beasts that were not responding. "I demand an answer!" Eckhart commanded. Don leaned into him and breathed into his face. Eckhart recoiled and partially closed his eyes and turned his face from the putrid smell. "Draper has been waiting for you," Don seethed showing his fangs. Drool ran from his mouth and dripped onto Eckhart. "We have to wait out the storm before we can bring you back so sit here and SHUT UP!" Don ordered. Eckhart cast his head down to the floor careful not to challenge this beast. He moved his eyes upward without moving his head and watched Don walk back toward the other beasts. Eckhart took the opportunity to look at where he was. "Oh Dear God," Eckhart whispered. He realized that he was on board the Helix. Eckhart surveyed the damage to the vehicle and smiled. He couldn't wait to talk with Draper.  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar pulled Emma up to the top of the hatch and got her on the other side of the chamber with little effort. She looked back down and screamed for Adam and Jesse. "ADAM! JESSE!" No response. Shalimar took her flashlight and illuminated the interior of the chamber. She realized that the water level was almost at the bottom and she didn't see anyone - not Jesse - not Adam and not Brennan. "Oh God," she whispered. "Shalimar!" Adam yelled from a duct that entered the side of the chamber. He had found refuge there when the current began pulling him under.  
  
"Adam?" Shalimar yelled back. "Where are you?"  
  
"Staying right where he is!" Draper yelled from behind them. In an instant, Shalimar was on her feet and Emma was behind her. Beasts surrounded them and Draper was standing right in front of them.  
  
"Emma? Shalimar?" Adam yelled from the chamber. "What's going on?" Adam couldn't tell from his vantage point what was happening. Suddenly, the light from above ceased to illuminate the chamber - someone closed the hatch. "EMMA! SHALIMAR!" Adam yelled at the top of his lungs. The only sounds returned to him were the echoes of his own screams and the distant sound of water dripping. "SHALIMARRRR!"  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar and Emma were held in place by Samuel and his minions and watched as Draper slammed the chamber door on Adam. He looked back up at the girls and smiled a rotten-toothed smile. He came right into Shalimar's face and licked her from her chin all the way up to her forehead. Shalimar recoiled and spit in his face. "You filthy bastard!" Shalimar screamed. Draper only smiled. "It's such a shame I have to give you over to Eckhart now. Maybe later I can watch the beasts have a bit of fun with you. They've never had the pleasure of a feral more human than animal."  
  
Emma was visibly disgusted. Her eyes turned black and she was about to go broadband when Draper stormed into her face and grabbed both sides of her head. "EMMA!" Shalimar screamed. Draper was on top of Emma on the floor. The beasts held Shalimar back. She was screaming for him to get off of her.  
  
Emma felt Draper's steel mind flatten hers like a vice. The pain was unbelievable. He had her. Every safe haven her mind ran in retreat, Draper invaded. She couldn't escape him. He was pure evil and the wickedness of that evil penetrated every synapse of her conscious. He commanded her to stop. He ordered her to sleep. Emma had no choice. Her mind was now his. She fell lifeless into darkness. Her eyes black and unseeing stared at Shalimar; they were wide open.  
  
"EMMA!" Shalimar screamed. "Emma," she cried. "You bastard! You KILLER!" Shalimar screamed at Draper. Draper paid her no attention.  
  
"Pick her up and bring her to the ready room. Take that feral as well. We have a show to put on."  
  
Shalimar struggled and fought the whole way but Samuel was much too powerful for her. He held her in his arms and drooled all over her. He was marking her. Shalimar could sense it.  
  
XXX  
  
Jesse moved Brennan slowly along the rocky tunnel floor trying carefully not to jar him too much. Every now and then he would hit a tight spot and the stretcher would stop hard. "Ahh, God!" Brennan cried out when Jesse hit yet another bump. "Jesse, Jesse stop for a minute K?" Brennan was out of breath and was trying to get over a wave of pain. He began coughing. Jesse laid the line down and hurried over to his side. He leaned down and wiped the hair out of his face.  
  
"Brennan, hey, you OK?" Jesse heard the wheezing and raspy breath-sounds Brennan was producing. Brennan began vomiting sputum again from his ravaged lungs.  
  
When he was done and the coughing calmed down, Jesse wiped his mouth and face with gauze he had in his med kit.  
  
"I can't breathe anymore Jesse," Brennan whispered. Even saying just that much took everything Brennan had.  
  
Jesse placed both hands on either side of Brennan's head and looked him square in his eyes. "Brennan," Jesse said as he gently shook his head in effort to get his eyes to open. Brennan opened his eyes halfway and swallowed the gorge that was ever present in his throat. "Now you listen to me." Jesse continued. He took one of his hands and swept it over Brennan's forehead in an attempt to provide comfort. "I am not going to let anything else happen to you. Do you understand?" Brennan rolled his eyes back and forth and blinked them slowly. He looked at Jesse and nodded his head. Jesse smiled at his injured friend and re-secured him on the stretcher. "Now, let's get you out of this place." Jesse said as he stood up and took hold of the stretcher again. There was no way he was going to fail. They were getting out of there.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam was petrified. He knew only one person could have closed that hatch. Now, it was dark as night again and he was trapped about 20 feet up from the floor. He thought that he could jump down but if he did that, what if it left him with no where to go again? "Jesse!" Adam yelled. Nothing. If he and Brennan were down there, odds were they had drowned. They may need his help. Adam didn't know what to do. He didn't notice an immediate exit from the tunnel he was now in so he decided to jump down and hope for the best. As Adam hit the ground, he fell onto the rope that Shalimar had thrown back down from the hatch. It was still secured to the top somehow. Adam got up and pulled on it. It seemed secure enough. "The hatch, itself, must be holding it," Adam said to himself. Just as Adam began to climb, the hatch opened from above and he fell as the rope detached and collapsed at the bottom of the chamber. Adam looked up and saw the all-too- familiar face of Draper looking in on him. "Eckhart's here!" Draper yelled down to Adam. "Let the show begin!" Draper laughed as he closed the hatch.  
  
"Draper!" Adam yelled from his tomb. 


	29. A Way Out

OK, I am not even going to apologize for this having taken so long. The apology would fall on deaf ears. All I can offer is a promise – to finish this story in an efficient manner so you guys can enjoy. Now, where was I? Oh yeah...  
  
"Draper!" Adam yelled for the bottom of the chamber. "Goddamn you Draper, I will kill You! I will kill You if you touch those kids!" Draper heard Adam and smiled as he walked down the hallway to his television viewing area. His plan was finally coming into action and nothing would stop it now. All the players were in place. His cameras were ready, Eckhart was here and Adam was trapped. Now, it would just be the Mutant X team and his minions. His years spent in perfecting his warriors were finally going to pay off and Genomex would be his to run. He was somewhat disappointed that he had lost Jacob in all of this. There was a certain pack of beasts that followed Jacob and now he was not certain where those loyalties were. But he couldn't concern himself with that now. He entered his room and placed the television sets on so he could view the ready room. Shalimar and Emma had been thrown into the room shortly before and he was watching Shalimar stroke Emma's face. He turned the infrared on to view Adam and he searched the tunnels to find Mulwray and Kilmartin. He seethed at the thought of Mulwray escaping. He knew, however, that there was only one way out of the dome if they could not fly out. If Kilmartin and Mulwray had made their way into the tunnel, they would have to scale down the mountain. And down the mountain was where the fun was about to begin. Draper turned and got on his radio. He called a name that he did not often call. "Mr. Homage, are you prepared?"  
  
Another beast, much dirtier and less human than any of the minions in Draper's lair picked up a radio with a furry hand. "Yes sir." The beast drooled as he spat onto the radio.  
  
"The games are about to begin, Mr. Homage. Make certain all of the cameras are in working order and that the devices are secure." Draper replied.  
  
The beast dropped the radio into his pack and looked out over the valley from his lean-to shelter. His fur was brown and filthy, full of leaves and debris. The small amount of clothing he wore was torn and tattered. His fangs dripped with greed and his eyes shown with evil. Behind his eyes, however, was not the mind of a beast. It was an intelligent mind. A closer look at the tattered lab coat revealed a lapel button. Mr. Homage took that button into his hand and fidgeted with it. His memory of the days he proudly pinned it on his lapel were long since exterminated. He no longer was Dr. Marvin Homage, Head Research Scientist for the Breedlove Foundation. Now he was a beast with an agenda. His logic was driven by intelligence, but his actions were driven by insanity. He ripped the button from his lapel and threw it by the shelter. He ran out of the shelter door jumping and calling to the others. An excitement filled the air as 50 or so beasts began to assemble.  
  
XXXXX  
  
Jesse got Brennan out of the tunnel and onto the side of the entrance. He looked down and noticed the length of the descent. He looked over at his fallen comrade and wondered if he would be able to withstand it. Jesse looked at the sky and noticed that the stormy weather seemed to have passed again and they maybe had a little bit of time to do this thing without the added danger of slippery surfaces. Jesse walked over to Brennan and leaned down by him. He was unconscious again. Jesse smiled at him and brushed the hair from his forehead with his right hand. At the same time he was checking for fever. Brennan was still burning up and Jesse noticed a distinct trembling. "Brennan?"  
  
Brennan did not respond. Jesse readjusted his position to get a closer look. He placed both hands on Brennan and checked for a pulse. When he found one, he let out the breath he had been holding and rubbed Brennan's battered face again. "Brennan? Come on Brennan, wake up." Jesse looked up and around them again before looking back down at his friend.  
  
Brennan opened his eyes and blinked them against the light of the day. It had been some time again since they had seen light. Jesse smiled at him and tried to shield him somewhat from the light after noticing his discomfort. "Brennan, we're out. We're out of the tunnel. Now we just have to get down. How do you feel? Are you in severe pain right now? Can you breathe alright?" Jesse was firing questions and Bren was having difficulty keeping up. He raised his hand in effort to stop Jesse from speaking for a second. Jesse stopped and looked at Brennan's hand.  
  
"What? What is it Brennan? Do you need something? " Jesse looked around again and then back down at Brennan. Brennan was somewhat smiling at his friend. "Jess," Brennan coughed. "Slow down, man."  
  
The relief in Jesse's expression was obvious. He smiled down at Brennan and decided to come back at him. "What do you mean slow down? Someone has to use some kind of speed around here Brennan, obviously it ain't gonna be you." Jesse gawked at Brennan and scanned him up and down with his eyes in a manner he knew Brennan would notice.  
  
"You ass hole," Brennan spat at his friend. The seriousness of their situation returned however, when Brennan started coughing violently. Jesse tried to sit him up a bit and put his arm around his shoulders to support him. As Brennan coughed, Jesse looked around. He truly did not know how he was going to get Brennan down that mountain. He looked back into the tunnel wondering what had happened to the others. He looked back down at Brennan and held him a bit tighter. For all he knew, Shal, Em, and Adam were dead. There was no way he was losing Brennan. As Brennan once again lost consciousness, Jesse returned to his pack to start tying ropes. He needed to do something to get them down that mountain before the rains came or something worse.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam was beside himself. He paced the floor of the chamber, stumbling every now and then on the uneven, wet surface. He was cold and wet and worried to death about his kids. Draper was crazy. He was a madman and he had Shalimar and Emma. He thought about Jesse and Brennan. There was no way Brennan could have survived another drowning incident. Poor Jesse, he thought. He would be all alone with Brennan – dead. That was if he were not dead, himself. Adam shook that thought out of his head. They could not be dead, he thought. No. They are way too tough for that. No, if anyone could have pulled them through this, Jesse could. The echo of the dripping water was going to drive him crazy. How did Brennan stay down here by himself, injured yet, for as long as he did? Adam thought. What was Draper going to do with Emma and Shalimar? He had to find a way out of here! He began moving his hands along the sides of the chamber again. There had to be a way out.  
  
Draper watched from his cameras an infrared image of poor, blind Adam trying to find his way – groping along the chamber walls. He smiled from ear to ear at the thought of Adam struggling. Soon he would go and get him. He would rescue him from his chamber of death and throw him into a room where he could watch his kids die one by one. He and Eckhart, both, would be in that room. The same room. Oh how glorious it was all going to be! Draper was finally going to win. He changed camera focus then to a room far below the main facility. There, he saw a frantic Shalimar Fox hovering over her catatonic friend trying desperately to wake her up. Poor thing, Draper thought. Your friend won't wake up until I let her. Draper sent a thought to Emma that made her stop breathing. Emma's eyes flew wide open and she clutched her hands to her throat. Shalimar screamed and shook Emma's shoulders, desperate to find out what was going on. Emma's eyes were wide and screamed at Shalimar to help. Tears flowed freely from them as Emma realized she would die. Shalimar continued to scream out Emma's name, defenseless toward this latest onslaught of terror.  
  
Just as it was getting interesting, Samuel came in and told Draper that Don and the others had arrived with Eckhart and they had placed him in the viewing room as requested. Draper took one last look at the choking Emma and grumbled as he let her go. Emma dragged a ragged, gagging breath into her barren lungs and rolled over onto her knees and choked. Her hands were still around her neck as she vomited onto the floor. Shalimar was fully crying now and held Emma's shoulders. When Emma had finished gasping, Shalimar rolled her into her arms and looked at her wracked face. "Emma!" Shalimar exclaimed as she gently shook her friend. "Emma, please talk to me!" she pleaded. Emma looked at Shalimar and with a ragged voice, she responded. "I'm OK, Shalimar. I'm OK." Emma rolled out of Shalimar's arms and attempted to get to her feet. Shalimar immediately stood and helped Emma steady herself. "It's OK now, Shalimar. He let me go."  
  
Shalimar was completely puzzled. "What do you mean? Emma – who let you go? Draper?"  
  
Emma looked at Shalimar. She shook her head in response and continued to cough the phlegm from her lungs.  
  
"That Bastard!" Shalimar screamed. She went over to the door and began to beat on it with all of her feral strength. It was not use. That door was not going to budge. She whipped around and looked back at Emma, who had calmed somewhat from her harrowing experience. "What does he want with us?" Emma looked at Shalimar and remembered the bits and pieces of information she was able to obtain from Draper as he had invaded her mind. "I don't think you want to know." Emma responded. Just then, a door on the other side of the room unhitched and opened slightly. What appeared to be setting sunlight shown through onto the floor. Shalimar looked at Emma and smiled a puzzled smile. She moved cautiously towards the door. Emma looked around the room and at Shalimar as she approached the door. Emma had a horrible feeling about what was waiting for them outside that door. She knew it was imminent. She knew it was there. She felt it inside her. It was pure evil – pure madness and it was waiting for them.  
  
XXXXX  
  
As Brennan awakened some time later, he could not believe what was happening. He was still alive and with Jesse and actually outside of the tunnels. He recognized that their current location was a bit precarious – on the side of a cliff that seemed to go on forever – but he did not care. He was out of the tunnels and it really seemed like there may be some hope. He remembered bits and pieces of this last time in the tunnel and how Jesse found him – beyond that, he couldn't really remember much of anything. He was feeling better now, though, and his mind was clear. His body hurt terribly but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. He knew he was out and with Jesse and there was finally some hope. Maybe Draper wouldn't win after all. He saw Jesse up in front of him. He looked a mess. He was full of what looked like blood and dirt. Why was Jesse covered in blood? Brennan wondered. Then it occurred to him that the blood was most likely his own. Brennan mustered up the strength to lift his head in attempt at viewing his body. He saw blood on his hands and down the front of his shirt. That was all he needed. He laid his head back down on the stokes and swallowed hard. He was dizzy from lifting his head and decided to call out to Jesse.  
  
"Jess!" Brennan mumbled under his breath. He thought he had yelled Jesse's name but realized that he had merely whispered it. He mustered more strength and tried again. "Jess!"  
  
Brennan's cry was louder this time and Jesse thought he heard something. He turned around from surveying the mountainside and saw Brennan's eyes open staring at the sky. He ran over to him.  
  
"Hey," Jesse elated as he slid down to Brennan's side. "You're awake!"  
  
Brennan tried to shift himself in the stokes. He stopped short because of the pain and winced and cried out a small whimper. "Hey, easy Brennan, easy," Jesse told him, concerned about him moving. "It's good enough that you are awake, Brennan. Don't try to move." Jesse lifted his head in a dramatic fashion to get Brennan's mind off of his pain and onto the new situation. "We are out, man. See, I promised you I would get us out and I did." Jesse was smiling from ear to ear in attempt to get Brennan's spirits lifted. He noticed that the glossy sheen that had been in Brennan's eyes ever since they found him near death was now gone and replaced with a look that was strangely more alert.  
  
Brennan turned his head toward Jesse and squeezed Jesse's hand as tightly as he could. Jesse had been holding onto it ever since he slid down next to him. Jesse took his free hand and ran it across Brennan's forehead. He was cool. The burning fever seemed to have subsided. That must be why Brennan looked more alert now. Jesse smiled at the good fortune that his friend may be gaining strength.  
  
Brennan swallowed hard again and looked around as well as he could. "Jess," Brennan breathed. He coughed at this effort to say Jesse's name and Jesse held his free arm around Brennan's shoulders in effort to prop him up slightly to help him cough. When Brennan was done, Jesse laid him back down and removed his arm. Jesse's look of happiness at Brennan's improved condition was once again replaced by one of concern.  
  
"Brennan, don't try to talk. It's OK. I'm here, OK?"  
  
Brennan shook his head from side to side indicating 'No,' that he needed to speak. "Jess, Jess, where are we? Where are the others?" Brennan was gazing into Jesse's eyes with the innocence of a child but the pain of a dog that had just been whipped for no reason. Jesse had to turn away. He looked up over Brennan and across the mountain-scape and then back down at Brennan. He deserved the truth.  
  
"They didn't get out with us, Brennan. But – but I know that they were getting out through another way. You and I, Bren, we got sucked through the chambers. The others made it to the top and I think, got out." Jesse was speaking with a tone of optimism that he did not feel. But if it pacified Brennan, that was all that mattered.  
  
This seemed to work. Brennan's grip on Jesse's hand weakened and he let his eyes drift from Jesse's back towards the sky. Brennan licked his bloodied lips with a swollen tongue. "I'm thirsty," he whispered.  
  
Jesse looked around for his bag. He let go of Brennan's hand and went to grab it. He smiled at the thought of Brennan wanting water. He had been submersed in so much of it in the past 24 hours; Jesse thought he would never want any ever again. "Just a minute, Bren. I have some in a bottle over here." Once Jesse found it, he moved back over to Brennan and placed his right arm around his shoulders to prop him up so he would not choke. He held the bottle to his injured friend's mouth. Brennan attempted to lift his arms up to hold the bottle but only managed to spill it out of Jesse's hands. "Whoa, Brennan, let me do it." Jesse said as he picked it back up and continued. "Go slow, Brennan, not too much." Jesse was very careful with Brennan at this point. The last thing his ravaged lungs and ribs needed was more water. Brennan got it down with minimal choking and allowed Jesse to lay him back down. He looked up at him.  
  
"Thanks, Jess," he said.  
  
Jesse replaced the top of the bottle and put it back in his bag. He looked over at Brennan again. He smiled at the bond he felt with Brennan. Brennan had always taken care of him before and aside from a few misadventures, Brennan was always the one pulling Jesse out of trouble. Now, the tables were turned. "No problem, Brennan. It's just good to see you awake and alert. You've had me pretty scared."  
  
"Jesse, how long we been out here?" Brennan asked.  
  
Jesse went back to preparing his cradle roping to bring the stokes down the mountain safely. He didn't look at Brennan when he replied. "Not long, Brennan. Only for about an hour. You needed rest and I needed to prepare some ropes."  
  
Brennan looked over at Jesse and then down the side of the mountain and back up it as far as he was able to see. "For what?" Brennan asked.  
  
Again Jesse did not look at him. "To get you down the side of the mountain."  
  
Brennan's eyes doubled in size and he looked down again. He let his head come to a hard rest against the back of the stokes. "Jesse, I can get myself down. Just put me in a harness and ease me down. I would feel more comfortable doing that than coming down the side in this thing." Brennan began to try to loosen the cinches.  
  
Jesse smiled at his brave friend. "No, I don't think so, Brennan. You couldn't hold yourself in it and I am afraid you would pass out and end up upside down. I am not going to take that risk. Besides, your ribs and leg are in such bad shape, I am afraid the harness would increase your injuries." Jesse finished tying his cradle and tested its strength. He looked over at Brennan who was eyeing his every move. Jesse began to walk towards Brennan.  
  
He knelt down next to the stokes and began to thread the ropes through to hook up the cradle. Brennan was more than a little nervous.  
  
"Jesse, Jess, come on. You can't lower me. You know you can't. You can't belay me either. I outweigh you." Jesse rolled his eyes at his scared friend and tightened the cinches. Brennan gasped when the one went around his chest. Tears flowed from his eyes and he squeezed them closed. Jesse looked at him in fear. "Brennan!" Jesse screamed. He frantically loosened the cinch and placed his hands gently on Brennan's chest to make sure he was breathing. "I'm sorry, Brennan. God that was stupid!"  
  
Brennan's breaths were coming in short gasps and coughs. He opened his eyes back up and lifted his hand to rest it on Jesse's. He patted his arm as Jesse started to cry. With everything he had, Brennan managed to comfort Jesse. "It's OK, Jess. I'm OK. Just not so tight." Jesse had reached his breaking point. Draper had caused Brennan so much pain. Now he was doing the same thing. He looked at Brennan and wiped his eyes. He took Brennan's hand with his other one. "We are going to get through this Brennan," Jesse proclaimed. Brennan smiled the best smile he could and wasn't sure who Jesse was trying to convince. He shook his head and closed his eyes.  
  
"OK, Jesse, let's get down this hill."  
  
Jesse finished lacing the cradle through the stokes and anchored the line to a sturdy tree stump that protruded from the mountainside. He pushed Brennan's stokes to the side and took one last look at him. "No rocking the boat, Brennan." Jesse said with a smile on his face.  
  
Brennan looked at Jesse and then over the side – He took one final look at Jesse. "Jess," Brennan whispered, "however, this turns out, I need you to know..." Brennan swallowed and Jesse attempted to answer his comment for him.  
  
"I know, Brennan," Jesse interrupted, "I love you too."  
  
Brennan looked at Jesse and smiled, remembering a conversation they had shared once before when Brennan had pulled Jesse from a toxic room in Sanctuary. "No, I want you to know – you suck at basketball," Brennan finished.  
  
Jesse smirked and began to lower him over the side. 


	30. Trust

Thanks for the reviews. They keep me writing. I can?t believe you all have stuck with this story. I am glad you have.  
  
Brennan dangled precariously about half way down the mountain. Jesse was nearly exhausted holding Brennan?s dead weight. He didn?t know how much longer he could hold him. He decided to anchor the rope and rest. He secured the rope and went to the side of the mountain to look down and make sure Brennan was still OK.  
  
?Brennan!? Jesse yelled to his friend. Brennan did not respond. Jesse noted that he was about 100 feet down and had about another 300 to go. Jesse knew that he did not have enough rope to get him all the way down but he was trying for a ledge that was about another 50 feet. It was quite large and would easily hold them for the night if it had to. It even appeared that there might be a natural formation that would offer some protection from the elements. He just had to get Brennan there and then himself. He looked back at his friend and tried to rouse him again. ?Brennan!? Jesse peered over the side worried that he had lost consciousness again. ?Damn it!? Jesse exclaimed as he rose to his feet again and headed back to the rope. He looked at the sky and then at his watch. He realized that night would soon fall and it would likely get pretty cold tonight. He rubbed his forehead and went to work on the rope. ?Only 50 more feet? Jesse thought to himself. He grunted as Brennan?s weight hit him again and he leaned back against the rope as he lowered it one hand at a time.  
  
XXX  
  
?Shalimar!? Emma yelled as Shal began to exit the door. Shalimar started and looked back at Emma with a puzzled look on her face. ?Emma? What?s wrong??  
  
Shalimar approached Emma as she inquired of her frightened friend. Shalimar tilted her head sideways to try and get a look into Emma?s eyes. Emma flashed a cold stare at Shalimar as she noticed her approach. Shalimar recoiled her head and smirked at Emma when she realized she had her attention. ?Emma? You OK??  
  
?No. No, Shalimar. I?m not OK!? Emma cried. ?We are not OK Shalimar!? Emma was nearly shouting as she blew past Shalimar and slammed the door closed.  
  
?Emma!? Shalimar cried as she ran over to her. She grabbed her arm just as the door slammed shut. ?What are you doing? What?s wrong with you?? Shalimar asked. She began pulling on the door again to see if she could unlatch it.  
  
?There is something wrong here Shalimar, I know it,? Emma coolly stated as she crossed her hands across her chest and looked Shalimar square in the eye. The smaller blond woman crossed her hands across her chest as well and gave her friend a very puzzled look.  
  
?Emma, that was our way out. Why did you do that??  
  
?Because Shalimar. I felt something. I felt the same thing that I felt when Jacob looked at Brennan that last time. Shalimar, I think this is a trap. They?re waiting for us.?  
  
?Emma, that doesn?t make any sense. They already have us. We are trapped here. Why would they intentionally open a door and let us out? Just to capture us again? Sweety, you are not making any sense.?  
  
Emma was clearly upset at Shalimar?s distrust of her powers. She looked Shalimar squarely in the eye when she spoke. ?Shalimar, you did not just spend time in that bastard?s head! I did! And I am telling you that nothing this sick bastard does makes any sense and I can assure you that something terrible is waiting for us to walk out that door!?  
  
Shalimar looked back at the door and then again back at Emma. Emma had not been wrong earlier when she pegged the evil in Jacob. Just then, the door popped open again. Shalimar looked at Emma and then they both looked at the door.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam was at his wits end. He did not know what to do anymore. He decided to sit down on the wet floor and ponder his situation. Suddenly, a light appeared from the side of the chamber. Adam shielded his sensitive eyes to the violent invasion of light. The light approached him quickly and Adam could tell from the smell that it was one of the beasts. It grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to his feet. ?You?re coming with me!? it growled in Adam?s face. Adam recoiled from the horrible smell of the beast?s breath and they both progressed toward the side of the chamber where a tunnel had opened up.  
  
XXX  
  
Brennan yelped in pain as his carriage hit hard on the surface of the ledge. Jesse noticed the slack in the rope and feared that he lost him. Jesse quickly anchored the rope again and ran to the side of the mountain. To his relief he noticed that he had succeeded in setting Brennan down on the ledge he was aiming for. ?Thank God,? Jesse whispered to himself as he wiped the sweat from his head. He quickly took out his last rope and used a quickdraw to lock into the anchor bolt. He released Brennan?s rope and secured his second line into his own harness. Jesse looked over the side as he began to repel. 


	31. On the Edge

Finals are over and I finally graduated! Now, I can write. Here we go.  
  
Jesse was exhausted as he made his own way down the mountain. He kept looking down to see where Brennan was. He had to make sure not to dislodge him if he was not secured onto the ledge. His hands ached from the numerous blisters and cuts. His shoulders were on fire from the beating they just took. He wasn't the best at repelling but Shalimar had done her best to teach him and at least he was getting down. He prayed that they would make it this time. Even if the others had not made it, he had to do his best to see that they did – for the Team – for Mutant X. He noticed that he was dislodging rocks and dirt as he hit the wall each time. He looked down and tried to swing a little more to the side so that the rocks did not hit Brennan. He still wasn't moving, Jesse noticed. He looked dead. Just as Jesse was about ten feet from the ledge, he heard something laugh and then something scream from somewhere down below. The laugh didn't sound human but the scream was familiar. Jesse shuddered at the thought of what it could be. He jumped to the ledge and ran to Brennan's side.  
  
XXX  
  
Adam made his way into the tunnel with the beast.  
  
"Where are you taking me?" Adam screamed at the beast. "I demand an answer!" The beast merely tightened his grip on Adam to make sure that he would not escape and forcefully pulled him through the tunnels. He threw Adam against a ladder and told him to climb. Adam looked up the ladder where he was able to see some illumination. Then he looked at the beast. The beast hit him hard in the face and Adam's head slammed against one of the rails on the ladder. He dropped to his knees holding his head. The beast showed absolutely no mercy and grabbed Adam's arm and smashed the front of his body against the rails again. "MOVE!" it growled. Even though Adam's head was still spinning, he did just that, he moved. Up the ladder one rung at a time he climbed. All the time Adam was wondering where the kids were and what Draper had planned for him. He could not believe what was happening. He wiped the blood that dripped from the newly formed gash on his head and climbed into the light with the beast right behind him.  
  
XXX  
  
Eckhart found himself sitting in a darkened room tied to a chair. He was cold, hurt, and very angry. The dirt he feared was seeping below his false skin and infecting him with each breath he took. He seethed at the thought of what Draper was doing. He didn't trust him, he knew he was crazy, and he further knew that Draper hated him. That could be a problem. Suddenly, a door flew open and the invading light caused Eckhart to squint. "What is the meaning of this?" Eckhart screamed at the intruder. "Untie me right this instant!" Eckhart's pleas went unnoticed as another charge was thrown into a chair. There was not enough light for Eckhart to see whom it was but he definitely knew this one was hurt a little more than he was. As the beast finished securing the ties, he looked over at Eckhart. He waved him off as he left the room and closed the door behind him. He sealed the two captives back into darkness. Eckhart tried to make some sort of contact with his new comrade. "W-Who are you, friend?" Eckhart inquired in a shaky, somewhat unknowing voice.  
  
"I am not your friend," Adam breathed in response.  
  
"Adam," Eckhart stated with assurance.  
  
XXX  
  
Shalimar looked at Emma and proceeded toward the door. "Emma, I believe you that you think something is on the other side, but sweetie, we are never going to get out of here unless we go out."  
  
"OK, Shal. But at least let me try and see if I can knock out whatever is out there. Shalimar, try to think happy thoughts as I do this. OK?" Shalimar nodded her head and proceeded to close here eyes and think about as happy of thoughts as possible given her situation. Emma was satisfied that Shal was ready and flashed her eyes to blackness. A wave of red shot from all directions of her body. Shalimar screamed as loudly as she could as the wave of terror hit her.  
  
From somewhere high above in another chamber, Draper felt Emma's coldness. He reveled in its darkness. He loved this side of Emma. He knew it when she attacked him with it. He let it surround him and envelope him in its cold steel. He began to laugh as a thought occurred to him. He sat down and concentrated. He closed his eyes as he traced the tendrils of Emma's thoughts back to their origin. He looked into Emma's mind and smiled as he saw this darkness in her. He joined that darkness with his own power and thrust it even further. Emma-Draper were one now and they began to laugh together in some odd sort of echo. The laughter emanated from Emma in a manner that was not hers. He had her again. She saw him in her mind and she felt him controlling this darkness within her. She feared his power and his insanity. But she couldn't stop her other side as it joined in the chaos that was now one mind.  
  
XXX  
  
Jesse reached Brennan who was semi conscious. Jesse grabbed Brennan's hand to feel for a pulse. He breathed a deep sigh when he noticed one. Brennan slowly lulled his head in Jesse's direction. "Jesse?" Brennan asked.  
  
"Yeah Bren," Jesse replied as he wiped some of the newly fallen dirt from around Brennan's face. "How you doin' buddy?"  
  
"OK," Brennan breathed a reply and choked up some phlegm. "Where are we? Did we make it?" Brennan tried to shift his position in the stretcher but thought better of it as the wave of pain hit him again.  
  
"Hey, bro, don't move, K?" Jesse cautioned Brennan as he began to pull him farther back onto the ledge. Brennan cried out in pain at the jarring motion. When he was satisfied that he had pulled Brennan far enough back from the edge, he kneeled down next to him. "Brennan, I think we are going to stay here for the night. It is getting dark and I am going to go look around to see if I can find some shelter."  
  
Brennan kept his eyes closed and nodded his head in agreement. Jesse patted him on the shoulder and got up. He looked around once before moving into the brush to the west Brennan's stretcher. He was very concerned about the scream and laugh he heard. He had no clue where it came from but knew he had to hide them. This night was going to be like no other. 


	32. Reality Sets In

OK – This is for you, Meg. You know what? I am also very upset about Mutant X. But I will not leave my fans hanging the way they left us. I apologize it has been so long. I had no idea, really how long it had been. I had to sit for the Bar exam and studying took everything I had – after that – all I did was work. Anyway – no more excuses – let's move on.

Shalimar managed to open her eyes. The wave of terror that had hit her was all but a heavy and dull presence. She heard a terrible laughter both inside her head and inside the room. She couldn't figure anything out. She was finally able to look at Emma and she did not like what she saw. Emma's face was wild. Her eyes were black and her lips were bleeding from her teeth, which were now sunken deeply into them. "Emma?" Shalimar managed to say.

"Emma!" she screamed. There was no response. "Oh God!" Shalimar grabbed her head and tried to shake the pain. She thought of Emma happy and of their shopping trips together. Those thoughts gave her strength and she managed to crawl to Emma's side. Emma had dropped to her knees and was looking right at Shalimar. Shalimar searched Emma's eyes back and forth all the while with tears streaming from her own. "Emma," she whispered, "I'm sorry." With that, Shalimar hit Emma along side of her head as hard as she could manage. Emma fell to the floor of the cell with a crash. Her teeth released her savaged lips and the horrible sneer left her face. Shalimar quickly checked to make sure she was merely unconscious. When she was satisfied she was all right, Shalimar picked Emma up and carried her towards the door, which remained open. She noticed that daylight was waning and she needed to get them out of there and to safety as quickly as possible. With her burden on her back, Shalimar squinted as she emerged into the fading light of the day.

XXXX

Draper slammed back into his own mind. He was alone. An alarm began going off on one of his monitors. He looked and saw Shalimar on the screen carrying Emma. Draper smiled. "Here we go." He flipped a switch on his controller and got comfortable in his chair. He looked at the monitor that maintained vigil on his two most important guests. He decided to start the show.

XXXX

"Adam, what brings you to this wonderful place?" Eckhart asked in his usual monotone voice.

Adam sighed. He had an idea why both of them were here but he didn't want to face that reality. "Listen, Mason. I don't have time. We don't have time. Do you remember Dr. Draper?"

"Yes, yes, Adam. As usual I am just a bit ahead of you in problem solving. I know who brought us here and I know why we are here. What I don't know is the whereabouts of the rest of Mutant X. From what I understand, Mulwray is dead and the other three aren't far behind."

Adam had experienced all he could by this time and couldn't stand the way Eckhart coldly with no compassion at all just relayed his knowledge about the Team. "Brennan is NOT dead!" Adam stoutly replied.

"No?" Eckhart replied, "Then where is your hero? Where is your team?" Eckhart laughed a bit under his breath before continuing. "Oh, Adam, you just can't accept the fact that you've lost can you? You see, I am here to watch a show, I believe, and you, well, you are a prisoner."

"And just what are you, Mason?" Adam asked. "If you were free to leave, I hardly think you would be sitting next to me in this filthy place."

Just then, a wall of three television screens appeared in front of them. Each had a different scene of the woods. The light finally allowed Adam to look over and see Mason. His suspicions were confirmed. Mason was also a prisoner. Eckhart just looked at Adam in disgust and said nothing. They both peered at the screens absolutely helpless to prevent what they were about to see.

XXXX

Jesse made his way along the ledge wall. He was trying to find a cave or something for them to shelter within. Bugs and cobwebs continued to assault his face as he moved forward. No one had been through this way in some time. He noticed an overhang just ahead and proceeded forward to check it out. He didn't notice the camera in the tree as he passed by.

Brennan was awake. He hurt like hell but knew that he needed to do something. "Jesse," he yelled. "Jesse!" Brennan looked around as much as he could from his angle. He managed to form a small arc in his right hand and singed one of the ropes that secured him to the stretcher. He attempted to sit up and quickly realized it was a bad idea. He decided to try and roll out of the stretcher. He smiled as he realized how well Jesse had secured him. He cried out as his body rolled onto the cold, wet ground. "God, I'm so tired of being wet," he murmured to himself. He attempted to move his right leg and realized quickly that he could not. 'Jesse must have splinted it again,' he thought. He coughed sharply and vomited up blood and water. He was still heaving when Jesse got back.

"Brennan!" Jesse exclaimed as he ran to Brennan's side. "Brennan, what are you doing?" He tried to get him to lie back down on his back but Brennan signaled him with his hand to stop. Jesse didn't know what to say.

"Jesse," Brennan whispered through his raspy voice, "just wait. I can do this." Brennan managed to pull himself into a sitting position. He leaned partially up against a tree to rest. Jesse began checking his wounds for recent bleeds. "Brennan, you shouldn't be moving. You have some really serious injuries here."

Brennan smiled and chuckled a little. "Jesse, you're not Adam and I know you're not my mother. I'm alright."

"Brennan, you are not alright. Do you want me to run down your injuries for you? I will. Let's see, your leg is broken, many of your ribs are broken, you have a gunshot hole in your side, pneumonia, and several bites and cuts everywhere."

"And a needle," Brennan added.

"What?" Jesse asked.

"A needle. I have a needle broken off in my arm."

"Where?" Jesse asked.

Brennan motioned to the area where Jacob had broken the needle. Jesse looked in disgust. It was festering. "Does that hurt?" Jesse asked.

Brennan just looked at him. Jesse smiled. "That, I can take care of," Jesse said as he phased Brennan's skin. He grabbed the needle and pulled it out. Brennan sucked in a cry as he felt it removed ever so slowly. When he was done, Jesse showed the needle to Brennan. "There, as good as new." Jesse was pleased with himself that he managed to help Brennan. He knew that he would have to do the same thing when they got home to remove the bullet. For now, at least, it wasn't bleeding. Jacob and Adam had managed to stop that before all hell broke loose.

Jesse finished checking over Brennan's wounds and covered him as much as he could with what garments he had available. Brennan shivered. "You cold?" Jesse asked. Brennan nodded his head indicating that he was. "Tired," Brennan replied.

"I found an overhang back against the ledge wall. If we can get back there, I can get some sticks together and we could start a fire." Jesse wasn't certain that a fire was the best idea. It could attract beasts. But they needed to keep warm as well and Jesse feared that rain may be on its way. He needed to get them to some shelter. "Do you want to get up?" Jesse asked Brennan.

"Yeah, let's do it," Brennan replied. Jesse got his arms under Brennan and lifted. He grunted again with the new assault to his already exhausted muscles. He managed to get Brennan to one leg. They leaned on one another as they made their way to the ledge wall. Jesse thought he heard something behind them as they approached the overhang. It sounded like a tiny motor. He shrugged it off as he got Brennan to the overhang. It was fairly deep and would provide adequate shelter from any rain. It would also narrow the direction from which an attack could come to a 6-foot square area. Jesse set Brennan down gently. He was glad he was still awake. Maybe he was going to be alright after all. He moved out into the trees in front of the overhang to gather some wood. Once they started a fire, things would be easier. The beasts would fear fire if they came.

XXXX

Adam and Eckhart just continued to watch the forest pictures. Every now and then they would see a beast flash by. Adam was trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. He was going to need Mason. Suddenly, Adam heard Mason chuckle. Adam looked at the screen Eckhart was watching and gasped at what he saw. He watched as Jesse moved Brennan through a wooded area towards on overhang of rock. He was shocked, relieved, scared, and really angry all at the same time. "Oh no," Adam whispered, "they're outside." A realization struck Adam and he suddenly knew exactly why they were here. He watched in horror as two beasts came into view on the screen.


	33. Chapter 33

Adam and Mason sat quietly staring at the array of screens that lit up before their eyes. Every screen depicted a different image. One screen showed Jesse creeping along the cliff wall with what appeared to be a beast following closely behind. One showed Shalimar and Emma after having left the compound. They looked scared, Adam thought. One showed Brennan in his ever continuing battle to keep breathing. He appeared to Adam to be struggling to get up again. Adam silently warned him to stay down. Others showed various areas of the compound.

"Oh my God," Mason whispered under his breath. "The crazy bastard has done it." Mason was too enthralled with what he was seeing to care about how Adam felt just then. He had worked for years to form an army. He didn't believe the ferals were the answer but this was a tough group. Mason wondered, however, how Draper managed to control them and keep them in the compound. "I wonder why they don't run off?" Mason whispered.

Adam just looked at him in disgust. "Don't you see what is happening here Mason? Draper is going to kill us all. We have to work together to get out of here!" Mason didn't even look at him. He was enjoying the show. He loved watching Brennan struggle and for once seeing Shalimar scared.

Adam was trying to figure out by the pictures the location of his kids. He realized that Jesse and Brennan were on the side of the cliff. He knew they were on the west side of the compound because the sun was going down. He also noted that it had begun to rain. He struggled against the ties that bound him. He had to get loose.

XXXXXX

Jesse didn't hear what hit him; he only felt it. The beast was too fast and came out of the woods in a flash. He only heard a growl from behind him and then felt a terrible blow to the back of his skull. He hit the ground with the world swirling around him. He thought he would throw up. He struggled to stay conscious but couldn't focus his eyes. He vomited. He choked Brennan's name in hopes his friend would hear - to no avail. The last thing Jesse saw as he rolled over were the red eyes of a horrible beast.

XXXXXX

Brennan heard a strange sound emanate from the direction Jesse had gone. "Jesse!" he called. He heard nothing. He managed to turn himself around so he could get to one knee. He used a tree to brace himself and get to a standing position. His head swirled from the loss of blood and fever but it was a blessing he could no longer feel his leg. Brennan squinted against the rain that was now threatening to take his sight of the nearby woods and cliff wall. "Jesse?" he called out.

Just then, Brennan thought he saw something flash – a light of some sort – in the woods barely 20 feet in front of him. It wasn't Jesse. "No," he whispered as the source of the flash showed itself. It was feral eyes he had seen and it was obviously Jesse he had heard. He watched in anguish as several beasts emerged from the woods. The one in front looked familiar to Brennan and worse yet, he was carrying Jesse. The beast smiled at Brennan's demeanor. It was Samuel. Brennan felt raw inside. "You killed him!" Brennan screamed as he blasted Samuel with a lighting ball. Jesse fell to the ground as Samuel lit up. Brennan blasted another at the trees behind the other beasts. Brennan did a double-take at Jesse who lay motionless at Samuel's feet. Samuel was stirring and began to regain consciousness by the time Brennan managed to crawl to Jesse's side. He didn't know whether he was alive or dead but he most certainly appeared to be dead. Brennan tried to rouse Jesse. He checked for a pulse and was glad when he found one.

"Jesse!" Brennan pleaded. "Jesse, please, wake up man." Brennan was struggling to remain conscious himself. His leg hurt again and his side was bleeding. He didn't care, he need to get Jesse out of there.

Samuel got up and crawled away from Brennan and Jesse. He was slightly surprised at the power he just witnessed.

XXXXXXX

Shalimar finally reached Emma and pulled her in, holding her closely. Shalimar did not feel comfortable and wished she would have remained in the room as Emma had originally urged them to do. "Emma," Shalimar said as she lightly shook her. Emma appeared in a daze and then began to cry.

"Emma, honey, what is it? What's the matter?" Shalimar pleaded with her friend. "Is it Draper? Emma, stop trying to link with him."

"No, it isn't Draper," Emma wept. "I don't know what I was doing before. There are so many emotions here. Each one of these creatures was human at one point. Each had a life and hopes and dreams and they are all gone now. They are so sad but at the same time angry and confused. They're insane."

Emma broke down and cried in Shalimar's arms. "Shh, it's OK, now," she comforted as she stroked Emma's hair. "Emma, I know it's hard for you but you have to help us now, sweetie. We need your help – your friends – us – we need your help." Shalimar held Emma at arms length and looked into her eyes, which were now again a beautiful shade of green. She looked at the looming sky and remembered what Jacob had said earlier in the caves about the rain and the storms. She knew that they could not survive long where they were standing and she was bound and determined not to leave without the team

"Emma, can you find Brennan or Jesse?"

Emma shook her head to confirm to Shalimar that she could. She closed her eyes and searched her mind. She crawled through the minds that were near her. They were screaming and laughing, some were crying. Others were just plain mad. But then, she reached him.

"Brennan," Emma whispered in the recesses of Brennan's mind. "Brennan."

XXXXX

Brennan didn't know what was happening but felt Emma with him. He had felt her frequently in the past 24 hours and now was even more grateful to feel her. Brennan noticed that the beasts had pooled away from them and Samuel was trying to speak. The others were shocked at the display of power from Brennan. They had only seen Draper perform this task in the past and had no idea that anyone else had such a capability. Samuel noticed his minions take aback at Brennan's display and turned to them.

"What is the matter with you?" he snarled.

"He – he's like Draper, out leader. He has powers magnificent powers!" One of the others yelled as he looked at Brennan with a wild admiration. The beasts were growling as much as they were talking. Brennan tried to understand them and then again tried to rouse Jesse. Emma was there, however, he knew it. He decided that he needed to try and reach her. They needed help.

Brennan took advantage of the beasts' distraction to find Emma in his brain. He had never done this before while conscious but thought now was worth a try. He sent to her what he was feeling – a message that they needed help and that Jesse was hurt now as well.

XXXXXX

Emma looked at Shalimar when she received Brennan's message. The look of panic in her eyes was getting to be too familiar and she dreaded what Emma was about to tell her. "What, honey? What did you see?"

Rather than answer her, Emma threw Shalimar to her left with strength Shalimar had never before seen. She was shocked when she hit the ground. When she looked up, she saw why Emma had done what she did. Standing face to face with Emma was a beast and standing behind him, there were at least ten more. "Emma!" Shalimar cried. But Emma was deep in thought. Her eyes were black and her head glowed with an aura around it. Shalimar had seen this before.

"Emma no!"

But she was too late. Emma blasted everything within a 50-foot radius – including Shalimar, who now lay unconscious.

All fell silent around Emma except for the pounding rain. It was pouring now with distant flashes of lightening. Emma's hair was soaked. It hung around her face. Her clothes were torn and tattered. Her anger seethed. Her breaths were coming in a rhythmic heaving. Her fists were clenched in rage. She shivered at the cold. A single tear rolled down her face. The warm salient fluid mixed with the cold, hard rain on her cheek before falling to the ground and trickling away with the river of rain that now threatened the face of the cliff upon which they stood. But Emma was frozen still.

XXXXXX

Draper was busy. He had so much happening but needed to draw energy for the shields. This was it – his time. He couldn't let the shield fail now. He was going to need it to finish the experiment. He looked at Adam and Mason one last time watching it all play out. He didn't care if he saw it happen. While he did want to finally see Mutant X die and Adam fail, he knew he did not have to see it in time. After all, he had it all on tape.

Draper made his way to the powerhouse for what he considered would be the last time. He planned that once all of this was finished, he would move what remained to Genomex. He would create his dome there and his minions would work to take over. Oh how delightful it would all be. It was all too easy. Everything was just perfect.

Draper was just about to hook himself into the capacitor when he thought he felt a tickle. Something, yes, something, was crawling in his brain. He screamed as he felt it. Cold fingers crept like the legs of spiders. Draper grabbed his head in agony and screamed. He fell to his knees. He needed to gain control. Whatever this was, it was strong. But whatever or whoever this was, he recognized. The fingers were delicate and cunning. Yes, once he calmed down, he could tell who this was. Draper put on his most demonic smile and continued to strap himself into the powerhouse. He planned to give Ms. DeLauro the ride of her life.


	34. Chapter 34

Brennan took advantage of the beasts' preoccupation with his power and Samuel's preoccupation with the beasts to check on Jesse. He had lost his link with Emma for some reason but couldn't worry about that now. He had to figure out a way to get them out of this. The rain was coming down hard and he shivered as it penetrated his clothing yet again.

"Well, my powers are worthless now," Brennan thought. He shifted himself again to get a better vantage on Jesse. They were positioned against the drop off of the cliff with the beasts separating them from the woods and any hope of escape. Brennan looked down at Jesse and tried to revive him.

"Jess, come on Jess," Brennan begged. Rain was dripping off of his hair and onto Jesse's face. Lightening startled Brennan and he looked up. He noticed that it also startled the beasts out of their current conversation and they all cowered from it – all except for Samuel, who turned his attention back to Brennan.

"You!" he half growled half spoke. Brennan thought about how the weather seemed to change his voice. "Are you going to lay there all day or are you going to get up and fight?" Samuel drug out the last word as if trying to edge Brennan into it – to make him seem insignificant and cowardly if he turned him down. Brennan could not believe Samuel was challenging him.

"Jess, if you can wake up, now would be a really good time," Brennan said as he struggled to his feet. He would put on one last stand. He knew he couldn't hold his own against Samuel even if he weren't injured. This was going to be quick. "Bring it on," Brennan said in the loudest voice he could muster.

Samuel smiled a fanged smile and came at Brennan one all four, as a wolf would attack its prey. Brennan braced for the impact.

XXXXXX

"Dr. Draper," Emma called in a sweet voice. "You can come out now. I won't hurt you. I promise just as you promised Brennan and the other kids you tortured at Genomex. I know who you are and I know what you are. But I don't think you know what I am. I am stronger than you think – than any of you think and I am going to fuck you up." Emma was speaking telepathically as she searched for Draper's conscious. She was close to him. She knew that he would eventually find her. He would not be able to resist her when she was like this. He was like a vampire for psionic energy. She noticed that the last time she linked with him. "Hell, he was like a vampire to everyone," she thought as she searched for him. She wanted to have the upper hand by calling him out for a change.

"Emma" a voice sneered in her head. Emma suddenly felt very cold. She was fearful but not afraid. She was going to take care of this bastard once and for all. One of them would not walk away this time. Emma felt Draper's mental power shroud her own. He was so dark and hateful. Emma cried out as he touched her conscious. It was such the opposite of her own and yet so very attractive. She knew that he wanted to pull her into him the last time he touched her mind. This time, he was forcing it. Emma fought back with everything she had. She was full of her own rage for what this monster had done to Brennan, to all of them. He would not live to see the culmination of his plans. Emma was going to see to that one way or another. Their minds fought. Light vs. dark. Just as Emma thought she might be gaining on him, something changed. Her mind began to tingle. She couldn't understand what was happening but it caused her confusion and that was the in Draper needed. He slammed into her mind with everything he had and then let her feel the power of the electricity that flowed through his veins as he channeled energy to the shields.

Shalimar awoke to Emma lying on the wet ground in the rain in convulsions. Her eyes were rolled back in her head but completely black from what Shalimar could see. She looked around at her surroundings for some type of shelter to which she could bring Emma. The lightening was everywhere and she couldn't understand what the strange glow was just above her position about 50 feet up on another ledge maybe. Shalimar continued to look at Emma. She held her down as best she could so she wouldn't fall over the side. "Emma!" she continued to beg. "Emma, please, please stop. Emma!"

XXXXXX

Brennan reached out to block Samuel. But just as he expected the impact of Samuel hitting him, he felt something on his leg. Brennan looked down and at the same time felt the strange sensation of weightlessness. Then he heard a howl. Brennan collapsed to the ground as Samuel went over the cliff. He saw that Jesse had grabbed his leg and phased him just in time for Samuel to pass through him and over the cliff.

"What took you so long?" Brennan asked in a relieved and exhausted voice.

"What happened?" Jesse asked as he rubbed his head with his hand.

But before Brennan could answer, a crack of lightening exploded a nearby tree sending the beasts in several directions. Some were blown by the force of the blast, others fled. Brennan and Jesse covered each other. Brennan's eyes were alight with electricity for just an instant and then it dissipated. He looked at Jesse who was staring back at him in awe.

"Brennan, dude, what's going on? You OK?" Jesse was nervous. He had never seen Brennan's eyes do that. It was as if he had absorbed the electricity. Brennan rose to his feet with ease and looked at his hands. He kept turning them over and over again.

"I – I don't know," he replied. "I feel strange."

Jesse managed to get up off of the ground and steadied himself on Brennan. "Brennan, are you feeling better?" Jesse asked, puzzled at Brennan's ability to steady even himself let alone him.

Another blast of lightening came dangerously close to Jesse but seemed to gravitate towards Brennan. Jesse backed away from Brennan and yelled, as Brennan's entire body seemed to glow. His eyes were blue with electricity. A strange hum began to emanate from his body and Jesse couldn't look at him anymore. It was blinding.

"What's happening!" Jesse yelled as he watched Brennan glow stronger as more and more electricity seemed to come from the sky and polarize on him. "Brennan!" Jesse screamed.

XXXXX

Adam and Mason continued to watch everything play out on the screens that were before them. Adam watched as the beast attacked Brennan.

"Oh, Adam," Mason said, "Here we go. Looks like the end of your precious Brennan." Mason smiled a crooked smile as he anticipated Brennan's demise.

Adam looked at Mason with disgust. "You aren't worth it," was all Adam could say. Tears rolled down his face as he waited for the end. But then he saw Jesse move and Brennan phase and the beast go right through him. He was proud when he realized what had just happened.

"Yes!" Adam said as he smiled. "Good work, Jesse, good work."

Mason looked at Adam and rolled his eyes. "It's only a matter of time, Adam. They cannot hold on fore…"

Mason was cut short by the blast of light that came on the screen. Then, everything went dark.


	35. Chapter 35

Thanks for all of the reviews, you guys. You really help keep me motivated to write. I will continue now until the story is complete. Don't worry; we have a few more chapters to go. Remember, even if Draper goes soon, Mason doesn't work alone at Genomex…

"Emma!" Shalimar screamed as she forcibly shook her. "Emma, snap out of it!" Emma was transfixed on Draper and possibly not winning the mental battle she was fighting against him. "E – m – m – a!" Shalimar screamed. The rain was threatening to wash the two women off of the side of the cliff if they didn't move soon. Shalimar had no choice.

"Sorry Emma," Shalimar said in a much calmer voice as her only option became clear. It was then that Shalimar punched Emma in her face knocking her out cold. She caught her as her body went limp. "Come on," Shalimar said as she picked Emma up and carried her deeper into the woods away from the side of the cliff. The lightening was scaring Shalimar and she needed to get them to some form of shelter before things got even worse.

XXXXX

Draper was just about to strangle Emma when suddenly she disappeared. "Damn!" he yelled deep within his mind. He searched for her to no avail. However, as Draper concentrated on finding and holding Emma's conscious, he ignored the necessity of controlling the power he was channeling from the storm. When he regained cognition of his surroundings, Draper realized that the energy he was drawing was no longer from the storm but from the shields and the compound, itself. For some reason, a different field was drawing the energy from the storm and away from his system. He was so preoccupied with Emma, he failed to notice. Now his compound and its shield were close to power failure. "What in the world is going on here?" Draper roared. He unhooked himself from the capacitors and charged to his microphone. "Samuel!" Draper called out over the link. "Samuel!"

But Samuel didn't answer. Draper through down the microphone, "I'll have to do it myself!" Draper commanded as he donned his raingear and headed for an exit to the roof. Possibly something was wrong with the rods that attracted the lightening. He had to find a way to regain power or his project was doomed.

XXXXX

"Adam," Eckhart asked in the darkness. Adam didn't answer. "Adam!" Eckhart demanded. "Answer me, Adam, I know you are here."

Adam sighed. "Yes, Mason, I'm here."

Eckhart laughed his sinister laugh. "What now, Adam? What now for your fine team?"

"I think you should be more worried about yourself right now, Mason and stop be so concerned about everyone else."

"Oh, I'm not concerned about them, Adam. I'm curious. Exactly how did you get yourselves into this anyway? From the looks of things, only Mulwray has sustained injury. Was he the catalyst to all of your demise?"

Eckhart was mocking him and Adam knew it.

"Knock it off, Mason. It's quite obvious to me that you do not intend to help us or even yourself get out of here so I am not giving you any information. Sit here, Mason, I don't give a damn." Adam had managed to free himself from the binds that held him to his chair. Mason noticed that Adam's voice was going away from him as he told him to stay.

"Adam, untie me this instant!" Eckhart commanded. "I was only kidding – for old time's sake." Eckhart waited for Adam to reply. He didn't.

"Adam! Adam, you can't just leave me here! Adam, I won't let you do this. You are not going to just walk away from me! Adam!"

Eckhart listened as he heard a door open and close. He was alone in the dark.

XXXXX

Brennan dropped to the ground as the lightening stopped coming from the sky. Jesse looked up in time to see light scroll across what looked like a dome surrounding them before it dissipated in the night. As quickly as the storm had begun, it ended. Brennan lay on the ground discharging energy in all directions. It burned through nearby trees and brush. Jesse massed to keep it from hurting him. His head was killing him and massing always made headaches hurt that much more. It took everything Jesse had to remain massed for the minute or so that it took Brennan to completely discharge. When it looked like he was finished, Jesse unmassed. He regarded Brennan's condition as he approached. Thoughts ran through his head of what he would do if he were dead. "Don't be dead, don't be dead. Please, don't be dead." Jesse continued to mutter as he slowly approached Brennan. The storm had left everything soaking but now as everything calmed, it was strangely silent. Jesse noticed everything around him. It seemed like ages before he managed to reach Brennan's side.

He got down on his knees next to his friends still form. Jesse moved mud, sticks, and leaves, from Brennan's face. There were burns there. Jesse didn't think they looked too serious but he was definitely burned. There were several burns, now that Jesse noticed across Brennan's body. His clothes were smoldering in spots and appeared to be melted to his skin in others. Jesse took Brennan's hand and felt for a pulse on his wrist. His hands were so cold. He was feeling for a pulse on his neck when Brennan suddenly took a deep breath.

Jesse grew more alert. "Brennan, Brennan?" Jesse asked as he put both hands on either side of Brennan's face and shook him gently. "Come on, brother. Brennan, can you hear me?"

"Jesse?" Brennan moaned. He yelped when he tried to move. "No, no, Brennan stay down," Jesse said as he gently held him.

"Jesse, what happened? Where are the beasts? Jesse?"

"Brennan, take it easy. The beasts are gone for now. You had another mutation, I think. You have some burns, Brennan. Just lie here a minute, OK?" Jesse was speaking to Brennan in the calmest voice he could manage. Calm, however, he was not. Brennan had some serious burns, he was noticing, as he looked him over more carefully. His voice was raspy and the splint that was on his leg was now completely gone. Brennan's skin was terribly cold and Jesse feared he would go into shock soon.

"Brennan, I gotta find someplace dry for us."

"How's your head, Jess?" Brennan asked, "there's blood on it."

Jesse regarded Brennan curiously. He couldn't believe he was worried about him when he, himself, was likely in grave condition.

"It's fine, Brennan. It hurts a little, but it's fine."

"Good," Brennan said as he closed his eyes.

"Hey, hey Brennan, no sleeping here, man," Jesse said, suddenly alarmed that Brennan wanted to sleep.

"I'm tired, Jesse," Brennan responded without opening his eyes. "I'm not going die. I just want to sleep."

Jesse looked up and around again. He remembered the cave he saw before all hell broke loose. He began to pick Brennan up off the ground. Brennan grunted in pain and fought Jesse with the little energy he had left. "Brennan, stay calm. I know it hurts, but I'm moving us to a cave I saw earlier. We have to find shelter before nightfall. Just care with me, buddy. You can rest soon."

Jesse knew that Brennan wouldn't have much time without some serious antibiotics and other medical attention. The pneumonia was enough, now with the burns… there was no way his immune system would withstand this type of assault. He needed help and fast.


	36. Chapter 36

Captain Dorrence radioed to the other two helicopters that he thought he had coordinates set on Mr. Eckhart's location.

"This is Genomex two, we have location of Genomex one, over."

"Thank goodness that storm ended. We have read the coordinates sent, Genomex two, we checked that area over an hour ago. Nothing was there. You must be incorrect Genomex two, run a system check, over."

"Rodger that, have run the check two times. I don't know why it wasn't there before, but it is now. We are setting up for landing, over."

"Ten Four, that, Genomex two. We are about 20 minutes behind you. Maintain location at landing site until our arrival."

"Ten Four, out."

XXXXXX

Jesse made his way to the cave he had found earlier that evening when he and Brennan first arrived the ledge. Brennan moaned as Jesse tugged him along. "God, Brennan, what have you been eating? I swear you get heavier every time I pick you up."

Jesse laid him down once he got him into the mouth of the cave. "Maybe you should stop trying to pick me up, Jesse, you know I'm into the ladies."

Jesse smiled. "You're awake."

"Yeah, I was afraid you were going to molest me, so I made sure I stayed alert."

"Would you shut up?" Jesse noted that Brennan was merely slurring his words and didn't really have his eyes open, but if he was in good enough shape to have the energy to joke with him, he must be feeling a little better. Brennan groaned as Jesse moved him farther into the cave. He half drug, have lifted him. He wanted to get them as far in as possible so that their body heat could keep them warm over the night. The cave was small but would work.

Jesse came back around to Brennan's side and began fidgeting with his clothes. He tried to get the fibers that were melted to his skin away from his skin while they were still wet. "Brennan, do you feel this?" Jesse asked realizing this had to hurt like hell.

No answer came from Brennan. Jesse looked up at this face and noted he must be asleep again. He felt his forehead. His skin there was hot. "I hope that's from the skin burn and not a fever, Brennan," Jesse told him. Again, Brennan didn't answer.

When he felt he had removed as much of the burnt clothing as possible, Jesse sat back against the cave wall. His head really hurt and he felt like throwing up again. The look of Brennan's burns didn't help that sensation. He saw that Brennan was shivering every now and then which confirmed his suspicions. The fever was back and it was high. Jesse took off his outer shirt and laid it over Brennan to try to keep him warm. He activated his comlink knowing it wouldn't work but praying that maybe he would get a miracle.

"This is Jesse. Is anyone able to hear me?"

XXXXXX

Shalimar found a rock overhang that would work nicely as a shelter for her and Emma until morning. Emma still had not awakened from the knockout punch she had received from Shalimar. Shalimar tapped Emma's face trying to wake her up. There was a good-sized bruise forming where she had hit her. Shalimar winced at its site. "Gonna take some makeup to cover that for a couple of weeks."

"Emma, come on sweetie wake up," Shalimar soothed as she continued tapping Emma's face lightly. She smiled when Emma's eyes opened. "There you are," she said sitting back on her knees.

"Where are we?" Emma asked as she sat up leaning on her elbows. She turned her head in all directions trying to figure out where she was. Then, she rubbed her face with one of her hands.

"Sorry bout that," Shalimar said sheepishly. "Does it hurt?"

"Yeah," Emma replied. "What happened?"

"I had to hit you," Shalimar said matter-of-factly.

"You hit me?" Emma wailed.

"Yes!" Shalimar defended. "You were going to get yourself killed linking with Draper the way you did. I didn't have a choice."

Emma just rubbed her face. Shalimar jumped when she heard Jesse's voice over her link.

"Jesse?" Shalimar exclaimed. Emma heard it too. "Thank God."

"Where are you?" Shalimar inquired, already peering outside into the coming darkness.

"In a cave," Jesse replied. "Is Emma or Adam with you?"

Shalimar saddened. She realized that, if Jesse was asking if Adam was with her, obviously he wasn't with him, either. "Yes, Jesse, Emma is with me. Not Adam, though."

"Damn," Jesse said.

"Jess, do you have Brennan?" Emma asked. He probably did or he wouldn't have just asked about she and Adam, but she wanted to make sure.

"Yeah, he's with me."

You didn't have to be an empath like Emma to hear the worry in his voice. "How is he Jess?" Shalimar asked not really wanting to know the answer given Jesse's obvious concern.

The comlink was silent. "Jesse?" Emma asked. She looked at Shalimar fearing the answer.

"He's not good," Jesse finally answered with a slight crack in his voice. "He had some sort of a mutation, I think. It must be the stress on his system. I don't know. He's burned, you guys. He's burned pretty badly."

Shalimar looked at Emma obviously shocked. "Burned? Jesse, did you say Brennan was burned?"

"Yes, Shal, he has what I feel are at least second degree burns on parts of his face, legs, and arms. There are spots on his legs that look third degree. His clothes were melted to his skin."

"Oh my God," Emma whispered. Shalimar had tears in her eyes knowing that they were too far from any hospital even if they could leave right now. "He's not going to make it," Shalimar whispered to Emma. Emma didn't argue with her.

"You guys?" Jesse asked.

"We're here, Jess."

"We have to hook up. We gotta get him outta here and I mean right now," Jesse expressed.

"I know, Jesse. Where do you think you are?" Shalimar asked. She focused on finding Jesse. That kept her mind from focusing on the Brennan's impending demise.

"Shal, remember how high we were on the west side of the cliff when we first entered the compound?"

"Yeah," Shal said.

"I am still right next to the main mountain and down maybe 100 feet from that location."

"Jess, you must be right above us," Shalimar exclaimed, suddenly hopeful.

"Just a minute," Jesse said. He heard Brennan whimpering in the corner where he had tucked him away. "Brennan, you OK, bro?" Jesse asked, fidgeting with him again, checking the temperature of his forehead.

"I really hurt, Jess," he replied with tears running from his eyes. "I'm not gonna make it out of here, Jesse. I heard Shalimar on the comlink. You guys are close – really close. You three can make it down the mountain and get help…"

"Brennan, I am not leaving you here. This entire mission was to come and get you. I am not leaving without you," Jesse didn't like Brennan's attitude. People, who talked about dying when they were injured, usually died.

"Jess, you can help me a lot more by bringing back … help," Brennan began a coughing spell again. This time, blood and mucus came up. Brennan was really struggling to keep breathing.

"Shal, can you climb?"

XXXXX

Adam made his way through the compound hallways. Emergency lighting was on so he was able to see. As he emerged around one the corners, he saw Draper leaving a room with a raincoat on. Adam tucked back in the corner so he wouldn't see him. Adam fought with his scientific curiosity whether to go into the room Draper just left or to follow Draper and get outside to find the kids. He figured Draper was heading out if he had rain gear on. Adam made a mental note of the rooms' location and followed Draper at a safe distance. He would find the team first, then come back and explore.


	37. Chapter 37

Draper reached the roof of the facility. He had several antennae or what appeared to be antennae hidden there. After performing a cursory inspection, he quickly realized that there was nothing wrong with them. It was getting very dark and Draper also noticed that the dome did not appear to be operational. He was able to see the stars. "That shouldn't be," he thought. Suddenly, he heard what sounded like helicopters approaching his location. Draper hid amongst the foliage. Sure enough, two helicopters – black helicopters were fast approaching. "Oh no!" he exclaimed.

Adam was cautiously climbing the stairway, following Draper's trail. He was nearly bowled over when Draper ran into him going back down. Both men were startled at the presence of the other. Adam tried to run but Draper stopped him with his mind. "I don't think so, Adam."

"Draper, let me go," Adam responded trying to move his legs. Draper had him adhered to the floor as if he were glued there.

"No, Adam, I don't think so." Draper allowed Adam to move but one step at a time in a very controlled fashion. Draper filled Adam in as they went. "You see, Adam, I need you. I get the distinct feeling that we are about to have a bit of company and I am going to need you to act as a decoy. I also need you to help me with Brennan when I bring him back here."

Adam was curious at the mention of Brennan's name. "Why?" he asked.

"Well, it appears that freak of yours stole my power from the storm."

"Shut up, Draper. You know Brennan can't absorb energy or have your experiments finally fired your brain?"

"That's where you are wrong, Adam. You see, I think Brennan can cycle energy – quite well, in fact. However, if you would look around, you would notice that the facility is experiencing a little brown out."

"Didn't pay your bill?" Adam quipped.

Draper sneered at him. "No. You see, I power the facility, Adam – with my power. I harness the storms and store the energy in me and then in capacitors. I had a bit of an issue with the last storm. Your Brennan caused some sort of interference and now, Genomex is landing outside because my perimeter security has been compromised."

"Genomex is here?" Adam asked. Draper had led them into the powerhouse and locked the door behind him.

"Yes, they are," Draper responded. "But they will never be able to leave. I need to power up the shield and the facility and continue with the experiment. And for that, I need Brennan."

"Even if he could, Brennan will never help you, Draper. Besides, he can't – you've injured him to the point where it is a struggle for him to breathe. Power up the facility yourself."

"I can only attract, channel and store energy, Adam, and discharge what I have stored. Unfortunately, I can't generate it. Brennan can."

Draper was readying his equipment, apparently modifying it for Brennan.

"He will never help you!" Adam yelled trying to get Draper to leave Brennan in peace.

Draper looked at Adam. "Adam, how did you get down here? Was it of your own volition?" Adam just looked at him. Then, he realized what Draper was saying.

"You're going to kill him," Adam said very matter-of-fact.

"Of course I am," Draper responded coldly, "but not until I have used him to refurbish the shield and the facility. After that, he becomes a detriment. I have decided to let the beasts have him."

XXXXX

Shalimar and Emma reached the ledge where Jesse and Brennan were hiding. Jesse met them and helped them up and over. He hugged both of them as if he hadn't seen them in years. Shalimar instantly placed her hand on Jesse's head wound. Jesse backed his head away from her hand. "It's alright," he said.

"I'll be the judge of that," Emma responded, "once we get back to the cave where you are hiding Brennan."

XXXXX

Brennan wondered how long it would be before Jesse got back with the girls. He had left the cave to get Shalimar and Emma at least 10 minutes ago – maybe more. He wasn't keeping that great of track of time. He was too tired. Brennan had begun to doze when he thought he heard something in the woods. "Jesse?" Brennan whispered. Only, it wasn't Jesse. From out of nowhere, the minions were upon him. He tried to scream, but couldn't. He tried to fight, but couldn't. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a feral eye.

XXXXX

When Emma, Shal, and Jesse got back to the cave. Shalimar ran inside to check on Brennan. She stopped instantly when she was overpowered by the smell. Burned flesh, blood, and yes – beasts. Jesse and Emma were right behind her. "Where is he?" Shal and Emma asked in unison. Jesse was shocked. He walked over to where he had left Brennan. "Oh my God, he was right here," Jesse said – his tone hopeless. He collapsed to the floor of the cave. "He was tight here!" he screamed as he cupped his head in his hands and cried.


	38. Chapter 38

Emma leaned down to comfort Jesse. "It's OK, Jess, are you sure we are in the right cave?" Emma was being practical – but she knew she was grasping at straws.

"We're not in the wrong cave, Emma," Shalimar responded as she wiped a finger in the red fluid on the floor. "This is Brennan's," she said, as she smelled the fluid. "Come on, you guys. I can track them. They can't have gone far." Shalimar wasted no time picking up on the scent of the beasts. Emma helped Jesse up, who staggered a bit due to a probable concussion. They followed Shalimar. "Shal!" Jesse yelled as he left the cave. "What the hell are we going to do when we catch up to them?" Shalimar didn't break stride. She was going to find Brennan.

Jesse looked at Emma and the two followed the feral.

XXXXXX

Brennan awoke to the jarring. Two beasts were carrying him over their shoulders and they were running. Brennan struggled not to scream. He was too wet to use his powers and he was too weak to fight them physically. He stifled cries of pain at the jarring his damaged body was taking. Mercifully, he felt himself passing out. He let it happen.

XXXXXX

"You can't do this, Bill," Adam pleaded. He used to call Draper, Bill, years ago when they worked with one-another. Adam hoped using this old nickname would help. It didn't.

"I can do whatever I please, Adam. You can't say anything about it." Draper was preparing a syringe of some type of medicine. Adam was powerless. Draper had tied his hand behind his back and attached the binds to a table.

"You're a doctor, Bill. We both are. Hell, all three of us are doctors." Adam was referring to Eckhart whom he hoped was still locked in the other room.

"So what!" Draper chided. "That means nothing to me." He continued working on his concoction.

"What about our oath, Bill?" Adam reminded. "You took an oath to first do no harm!"

"I lied," Draper responded. "There, it's ready."

"What is it?" Adam asked – fearing the answer.

"A bit of a stimulant," Draper responded. "It should really gear him up. From what I know about Brennan's history, I may need quite a bit of this to affect him. He had a bit of a – shall I say – problem in the past?" Draper smiled at the thought of Brennan having been so messed up mentally that he had developed a chemical abuse problem.

"You sicken me," Adam spat. He knew it was true – that Brennan did, indeed, have a drug problem when he was younger. But he was past that now and clean. Draper was an ass to demoralize him that way.

"No denial, Adam?" Draper asked as he turned around.

"Why the stimulant? His body can't handle that now, Bill. You know that," Adam was begging Draper to reconsider.

"Adam, you are an intelligent man. You can't figure this one out?" I need Brennan's power. In order to get Brennan's power, Brennan needs to be awake. In order to wake Brennan up, I will need this. It is really quite simple," Draper mocked.

"I told you before. He will never help you."

"Not willingly, I know. But I don't need him to be willing. I just need him awake. I will do the rest – with my great big beautiful brain." Draper said. He tapped his head with his finger and leered at Adam as he said the last six words of his sentence.

"If you do this, Bill …" Adam warned.

"You'll do what? You'll do what, Adam?" Draper was actually showing open anger now. No matter how crazy he is.

XXXXXX

The three mutants caught up with the group carrying Brennan very quickly. They followed at what they thought was a close distance. "They sure are jolting him around a lot," Jesse commented. He was concerned about Brennan's physical well-being.

"He's out of it," Emma noted.

"Shal, not so close!" Jesse whispered. She either didn't hear or didn't care. She was literally on top of the group of beasts. Shal didn't care, though; she penetrated the group without thinking.

Brennan was alert enough to realize that Shal was there and in danger. The beasts that were carrying him immediately dropped their burden and approached Shalimar. Jesse and Emma joined in. Shalimar took the first hit. She got in two good kicks upon her two attackers but before long, she was on the ground. Jesse was phasing in and out avoiding blows while laying some one. Emma was trying to crowd the minds of the beasts. She was having limited success. Brennan was trying to creep out of the fight. He managed to ground himself and take down three of the beasts with a tesla. He singed himself in the meantime.

One of the beasts realized that this fight was going nowhere. He made his way to Brennan, picked him up over his head and walked to the cliff's edge. He roared to get everyone's attention.

"Stop! You three will surrender now, or I will drop this one over the cliff!" Every one stopped fighting. Shalimar picked herself off the ground – ready to attack the beast holding Brennan. Jesse held her back.

"That's better!" The beast lowered Brennan and gingerly threw him over his shoulder. Brennan yelped as his ribs and the portion of his midsection with the hole in it made a violent connection with the beast's shoulder.

"Be careful with him!" Jesse yelled as he started towards Brennan. Another beast quickly wailed a furred arm across Jesse's already damaged head and he went down like a stone. Shalimar screamed and Emma cried. She considered using her power but Shalimar stopped her.

"Emma, you can't. The last time you did that, Draper got into your head. Emma, he'll do it again."

Emma looked at Shalimar with tears in her eyes. She looked at Jesse, now being carried by a beast, at Brennan, who was once again bleeding from his earlier injuries, and then back at Shalimar. "At least we will all be together."

Shalimar and Emma were pushed from behind. "Get moving!" the beast ordered.


	39. Chapter 39

Thanks for all of the reviews. Sorry for the delay. Brennan-Freak and Meg – you keep me writing – you really do.

Shalimar and Emma remained silent as they followed their captors. Emma wanted to try and link to the boys to see if they were alright but feared if she did, Draper would get to her again. They were going to need her powers to get out of this in the end and she could not risk herself again.

Shalimar continued to assess Jesse and Brennan's conditions. Brennan hadn't moved since he passed out and flopped liked a rag doll on the back of the largest beast. Jesse had stirred a couple of times and Shalimar wondered if he was pretending to be unconscious. She was able to hear his breathing and it wasn't steady and rhythmic as it would be if he were unconscious. Another thought came to her mind, however, and that was a fear that his breathing wasn't rhythmic due to a serious head injury. As she followed, she was able to see a substantial amount of blood now caked to the side of his head and face. She looked over at Emma who was also shifting her gaze between the two.

Shalimar caught Emma's attention and they both shared a worried look. One beast pushed Shalimar from behind and Shal lurched forward. Solely by instinct she flew around and growled. The beast only laughed. "You, I shall have a fun time with later," the beast told Shalimar. Shalimar was disgusted but held her tongue. They couldn't escape with neither Brennan nor Jesse able to walk on his own and she didn't dare anger their captors. She knew it would be taken out on Jesse or Brennan and right now, they needed to find Adam. Hopefully, that was where they were going.

XXXXX

The men from Genomex continued to search the area for a way to get into the compound that their maps told them was directly under their feet. "Glad that storm finally stopped," the radio controller said to his team leader. "Now maybe I'll be able to pick something up. Unless this compound is air-tight – and I don't believe that it is, I should be able to pick up some sort of change in temperature reading at an entrance."

"Keep looking," the team leader responded, "we have to find Mr. Eckhart soon or we will be in serious trouble for our delay." Suddenly, the team leader heard a roar of some sort in the woods. He and his team turned in the direction of the sound. "What the hell was that?"

XXXXX

Adam continued to beg Draper. "Bill, why are you doing all of this?" Draper didn't respond, he merely continued preparing a hypodermic needle and other equipment. Adam noted his actions and tried to see what he was preparing. He was fearful that if Draper injected Brennan with whatever it was, that would be the end. Brennan was bound to be incredibly weak at this point after Adam saw what happened. The loss of power to the facility was likely an overload of some sort and it was possible that Brennan caused it. After Draper filled Adam in about the shield, the wheels of his brain began to turn and Adam feared that the electromagnetic force of the shield somehow caused Brennan to mutate again – his weakened physical state likely allowed it to happen. Adam only hoped he wasn't too late to save him if they were ever able to get out of this. He decided to press Draper for more answers, if nothing else, maybe to distract him and cause him to take more time to concoct his plan.

"Is it out of some strange need to prove yourself, Bill? If it is, you don't need to do that. We all knew you were smarter than Mason – hell, Bill, you were smarter than all of us."

Draper stopped and turned towards Adam. Adam was pleased with his progress. "Do not patronize me, Adam. I know the rest of you laughed at me. I know you all thought I was too hard on the poor little bastards that we experimented on. Some of you felt that I was even perverted in a way! Yes, I listened to all of you, I know you helped Mulwray escape – nearly kill me. I know everything, Adam and that is why I decided that he will die in front of your very eyes."

"Draper!" Adam shouted.

"It is no use, Adam," Draper smiled as he returned to his work. "I hate that freak of nature and as soon as he has served his purpose of restoring my shields, I will keep him tied down and turn a couple of my captive beasts on him. They will eat him alive. Won't that be a glorious sight? And I will get to watch you watch them."

Adam was speechless. Draper was serious.

A knock on the door startled Adam from his thoughts. "Oh good!" Draper exclaimed as he made his way to the door. As he opened it, the largest beast strode inside. Adam revolted at the smell and then more so at the sight of what he was carrying. "Brennan," Adam whispered. Adam turned his attention to the second beast that was carrying Jesse. "Jesse? What happened?" he asked simultaneously as he saw Shalimar and Emma come in. Three more beasts followed them. The one carrying Jesse threw him to the floor in the corner of the room and the other three beast pushed Shalimar and Emma into the same corner. Adam came up with a start as if to try and defend them but thought better of it as he saw the look of anger in Shalimar's eyes. Jesse moaned as he hit the floor and Emma leaned down to try and help him.

Adam turned his attention to Brennan, who seemed to be the center of Draper's. The beast holding him flopped his lifeless form into the chair that Draper had prepared and ruthlessly began strapping him down. He cinched the binds far too tight, Adam noted, but the beast didn't care and neither did Draper. Adam assessed the physical appearance of his oldest. His hopes of Brennan's possible recovery if they were ever to get out of this were dashed by the seriousness of his apparent injuries. Adam knew of the gunshot wound that he and Jacob had done their best to stabilize, his broken leg that was once again without a splint and looked strangely shaped and turned. He knew of the fever and probable pneumonia as well as the likely rib fractures and gaping tears in his flesh from the numerous attacks he sustained. But now there was something else. He was burned – likely electrical burns from the condition of his tattered clothes. The burns looked serious – at least second degree and Adam feared that the burns were internal as well. He closed his eyes as tears flowed from them. He opened them again to see Draper readying his array of needles. "NO!" Adam screamed. "Leave him alone! Haven't you done enough to him?" Adam was frantic. He ran towards Draper only to be grabbed and restrained by a beast.

Draper plunged the first injection into Brennan. He stirred only slightly. He grabbed the next one and plunged it in as well.

"Leave him alone!" Shalimar cried out. The sound of Shalimar's voice awakened Jesse. He came up with a start hearing her scream only to instantly regret the motion. His head was spinning. Shalimar bent down with Emma to help steady him and try to get him to his feet. Jesse was bewildered. "Where are we?" he asked as he looked around. He heard Brennan scream, however, and what happened suddenly didn't seem as important as what was happening. Jesse assessed the situation within seconds, began to run at Draper and massed the instant he hit him. Shalimar dove at one of the beasts and brought him down. They were entangled on the floor in hand-to-hand combat. Emma thought it safe to use her powers, as Draper was distracted with Jesse. She concentrated on a beast and he fell to the floor gasping for air. She blasted another with a psionic blast. The largest beast, however, had already removed Jesse from Draper and thrown him across the room like a doll. Luckily, Jesse massed before he hit the wall. He was startled by the assault and tried to shake the cobwebs from his brain before the beast was on him again. Adam was at Brennan's side trying to loosen his binds.

"Adam!" Brennan screamed. His agony was obvious. He begged Adam to help him. "It hurts! Adam, what did they do? It really hurts!" Adam was frantic. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't get the binds loose. They were too tight. He noticed that Brennan's hands were already blue and swollen and his breathing hitched due to the band across his chest. "I'm sorry, Brennan, I'm trying. I can't get them loose! Jesse!" Adam hoped the molecular could phase the binds and Adam would be able to pick Brennan up. He was too late; Draper was right behind him with the beast that had helped him off the floor. The beast picked Adam up and tossed him at Emma just as Emma blasted the beast. He collapsed to the floor.

Draper stood by Brennan smiling. Even amongst all the chaos around him, his focus was keen. He smiled at the obvious distress of his captive. Brennan opened his eyes and cried out in pain as he saw Draper leer at him. He struggled against his binds only to cry out in agony at the pain it caused. Draper readied another hypodermic as he threw a switch on his machine. Draper began to concentrate. He held Brennan's face in his hands with the hypodermic dangerously close to Brennan's eyes. He stared into his eyes intent on controlling every aspect of his being. Brennan cried out at the mental assault. He gagged, as Draper's cold, invading, tendrils wrapped themselves around his neurons. There was nothing Brennan could do but endure. He was dead, and he knew it. This perverted bastard had finally won.

That's it – sorry to end here but only a few chapters to go. Do not despair, however, I pledge to finish my other two stories with many chapters as soon as I finish this one. "Cold Hearted Orb" and "Forgive and Forget is to Relive and Regret" will be next.


	40. Chapter 40

Brennan tried to cry out but could not. Draper's conscious owned his and he was trapped by the madman's mind. He felt a surge of power develop deep within him. It coursed through his very being with ferocity like none his power had ever exhibited before. He lit up with the energy Draper forced him to create. Brennan dreaded the thought of being used like this. He felt violated in a way. Draper didn't know how to control the force of his power and he was being drained.

Draper enjoyed what he was doing. Not only could he feel the intense power of Brennan, but also he was able to detect the hopelessness and disgust and self-loathing that Brennan was feeling emotionally while he did this to him. He laughed at Brennan's misery. "How's it feel you little fuck? What's it feel like now? I made you, and now I will destroy you!"

Brennan finally managed to scream.

Adam was dragging himself off of Emma, who was out cold after being hit by Adam's weight full force. It took Adam a couple of seconds to understand the chaos around him. The mutant who had picked him up was evidently now fighting with Jesse and Shalimar was beginning to lose the battle she was fighting with her beast. He looked over at Draper and Brennan. Brennan's entire body was glowing and Adam was momentarily astonished at his display. What was even more amazing was that Draper seemed entirely unaffected. He should have been fried by now. Adam rolled over and shook Emma to get her to wake up. She was the only one who could get them out of this now.

"Emma!" Adam begged, "Emma, honey, wake up. Emma?"

Emma opened her eyes and looked at Adam. "W-What happened?"

Adam smiled, "Emma, use your power. YOU have to shut this down NOW!"

Emma looked at Adam with concern and immediately got to her feet. She looked around her at what was happening and then at Brennan, who looked like a fluorescent light. She was thoroughly pissed. She pushed Adam away. "Think happy thoughts, Adam." Her eyes went black. Shalimar, Jesse, and the two beasts they were fighting rolled on the floor in agony. But it was Draper upon who she concentrated. She slammed into his disgusting, perverted mind like a freight train and literally drove his psyche into the ground. He wasn't prepared for her. He had been too distracted with Brennan's suffering as well as the concentration it took to control the power he was generating and cycle it to the shield's capacitors. He was surprise, to say the least. But it was this element that Emma needed in order to do her work. Her fury was evident, strong, and heavy. She held Draper's mind down, managed to control it, and then began to destroy it.

Draper released Brennan as his physical form fell to the floor. Emma was walking towards him with an inhuman look of determination. Adam let her go. He got to his feet and glanced at Shalimar and Jesse. They were out cold as were the beasts they had been fighting. Adam got to Jesse and shook him awake. Jesse awakened with a start. He looked at Adam and then at Emma. He immediately understood what he had to do. His head was killing him but he didn't care. This was their chance; he wasn't going to let a little pain deter him. Adam went to Shalimar as Jesse approached Brennan. "Be careful with him, Jesse!" Adam yelled as he began to gently shake Shalimar.

Jesse looked at Brennan. He was unresponsive. Jesse tried to wake him up but it was no use. He looked at his binds and one by one phased them to release Brennan's beaten body. His hands were blue and his wrists looked crushed where the binds had cut into them. There was no skin left on them, it seemed. They were bloody and badly burned. Jesse cringed. Tears ran from his eyes as he released his brother. He thought for certain that he was dead. He wasn't breathing and his body felt strangely empty – like an inanimate object – nothing containing life. Jesse turned to Adam who had managed to awaken Shalimar. The look of anguish on Jesse's face told Adam everything he needed to know. Brennan was dead.

Jesse turned back to Brennan and continued to release his body. He looked over at Emma who was floating in the air above Draper. It was such a strange site. He had never seen Emma levitate and didn't know that she could even do that. She looked almost like a witch with her blackened eyes. Draper squirmed on the floor and held his head with his hands on either side. He was clawing at his eyes and gurgling. Jesse turned back to Brennan. When he managed to release the final binding, Brennan's body slumped in the chair. Jesse put his arms under Brennan's and picked his form off of the chair and laid him on the floor. By this time, Adam and Shalimar had reached them and Adam began checking Brennan for signs of life. Jesse stood back up and embraced Shalimar. Both of them were obviously injured from their most recent battles. They cried silently as they watched Adam work with Brennan.

"Come on, Brennan. Don't do this!" Adam yelled as he began CPR. Adam noted the condition of Brennan's chest as he pumped on it. His ribs were too giving and Adam feared that he may puncture Brennan's lungs by doing this, but reasoned that if he didn't do this, Brennan would die anyway. Jesse joined him at Brennan's head and breathed for him on Adam's count. Adam stopped after just two sets of CPR to check if Brennan's heart was beating. "Jesse, stop," Adam ordered. "His heart is beating!"

Jesse and Adam were elated. Shalimar smiled and wiped the tears from her face due to their newfound hope.

Adam continued to assess whether Brennan was breathing as well. He was. "Jesse, we did it! This is amazing! Do you know how low the percentage is of people who survive full arrest?" Jesse didn't care, his brother was alive. That was all that mattered. He looked over at Draper who now appeared unconscious. His tongue hung from the side of his mouth. It was bloody from his teeth mashing it. Emma continued her assault.

"Jesse, help me lift him," Adam ordered. "Shalimar, get Emma."

Jesse helped Adam lift Brennan. They would have to do a two-man carry. He was breathing on his own but remained completely unconscious. Shalimar approached Emma. Emma had come back to the floor and was standing, still staring at Draper, who appeared to be dead. Shalimar knew she would have to hit Emma for the second time today in order to break her from this trance. "Sorry, Emma," Shalimar said as she punched Emma in the right jaw. Emma fell to the floor. Shalimar immediately scooped her up. She looked at Adam and Jesse. "You guys take her, I can carry Brennan." Adam looked at Shalimar in surprise but then remembered the feral's strength was at least five times that of Adam's and Jesse's combined. Jesse laid Brennan's head down to the floor and scooped Emma from Shalimar's arms. Shalimar picked up Brennan and carried him alone. Adam took the lead.


	41. Chapter 41

Sorry for the delay again, I got a new puppy so I have been very busy. Thanks to all my reviewers. I can't believe you are all still reading this nearly three years later.

Adam took up the lead with Shalimar following closely behind. Jesse was carrying Emma now after Shalimar had knocked her out for the third time that day. The girl's pretty face was becoming a canvas of bruises. Brennan did not stir with any signs of life. Shalimar continually noted this as she shouldered his form out of the hellhole they had found themselves in. Adam followed the route that Draper took earlier to get out of the compound. He slowed his pace as he approached the main hallway.

"OK, everyone, real quiet now," he said as he crept around the corner. He was deathly afraid of running into beasts now. With both Brennan and Emma out of commission, they would not stand a chance and would likely end up leaving Brennan behind in order to save themselves – and that could not be an option. Adam looked back at them. They looked so tired and scared. Jesse and Shalimar, his original team members now carrying the two who had joined them not two years prior. He was proud of both of them for being such caring individuals. The world had not succeeded in making them cold even after everything they had been through. Adam did not know exactly what he was going to do once they reached the surface. The Helix was all but destroyed and completely unusable. They were going to have to walk out on foot. Adam cringed at that thought. He did consider, however, that there must be some type of plane or helicopter on site in order for Brennan to be here. How did Draper get him here? Adam shook his head to rid it of these thoughts for now. He could not burden his brain with this now. "One step at a time, Adam," Adam whispered to himself as he continued down the hall.

Shalimar whipped around when she heard someone yell from behind. She nearly dropped Brennan in the process. Jesse and Adam heard it as well. "Adam," Shalimar exclaimed in a whisper. "What was that?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Let's keep going." Adam, however, knew exactly what that was. It was Eckhart. But he didn't want to tell them that he was here. He feared they would want to rescue him out of some kind of human kindness and they didn't have time for that now. Besides, Eckhart got himself into this; he could get himself out. Just then, moonlight filtered into the end of the hallway from some hidden doorway to the outside. The team tucked them selves into the wall as best they could to hide. Shalimar's eyes grew wide as she watched what was about to come down the hallway. She smelled them before she saw them – beasts.

"Um, Adam? I think we'd better turn back, and now!" Jesse said as he began to tap Emma on her face to wake her up.

"We can't, Jesse, where are we going to go?" Shalimar responded. Adam continued to watch in the direction of the open doorway.

"Come on, Emma, wake up!" Jesse was pleading now. Emma began to stir.

"What happened?" she asked as she rubbed her face yet again and entered a state of full awake. Jesse smiled. At least with Emma awake, they stood a chance against the beasts. He helped Emma to her feet and filled her in on where they were. "Emma, Shalimar had to hit you to get you away from Draper," Jesse explained. Emma dashed an angry look at Shalimar until she saw what Shalimar was carrying. Then it all came back to her. "Oh my God, Jesse!" Emma exasperated. Her words were nearly inaudible. "He's not dead," Jesse reassured her as they both looked at Brennan. Emma looked at Jesse in desperation. "I – I killed Draper, though."

Jesse looked at her with sympathetic eyes. He took her into his arms and pet her hair. "I know, Emma, I know."

Adam turned to them both. "Emma, I don't believe you killed him. Draper has a way of restarting himself. I only hope you knocked him down long enough for us to get out of here." Adam was whispering. Emma looked toward the end of the hall in the direction where Shalimar continued to stare. "Shal?" Emma asked.

"I smell more than beasts," Shalimar stated.

"What else do you smell?" Adam asked.

Shalimar glanced back at him puzzled. "Cologne," she replied.

Just then, shadowed objects appeared in the moonlight as it filtered into the hallway. They were definitely beasts, but they were also carrying others. Jesse pulled Emma towards him to get her away. The team scrambled back in the direction from which they came. They tucked themselves into a small room off of the hallway and waited for the beasts to pass by. Brennan was stirring and Shalimar soothed him to remain still – and quiet.

The beasts and their burden were about ten feet away when they heard the same yell come from somewhere in the compound. The individuals whom the beasts were carrying began to struggle. The team immediately knew who they were by what they were saying and how they were saying it.

"GSA?" Jesse questioned – bewildered by the thought of Genomex being here.

Adam smiled. "Shhh," Adam cautioned with his finger up to his mouth.

The beasts roared at their captives. "Keep quiet!" the lead beast, Don, warned. "Dr. Draper will be very happy with us that we captured you before you could damage the experiment."

"What experiment?" one of the Genomex team members asked. The beasts laughed. "You'll see."

The group passed by without incident. Adam let go of the breath he was holding in a sigh.

"Adam, why is Genomex here?" Shalimar asked.

"Easy, Shalimar," Jesse answered. "Because Eckhart is here, isn't he, Adam?" Jesse asked in a somewhat accusatory manner.

"Eckhart?" both Shalimar and Emma commented at the same time.

Adam rolled his head to the side as he turned back toward the now open doorway at the end of the hall. "Yes," he replied as he started to move.

Shalimar looked at Jesse and then at Emma. They looked down the hall in the direction of the beasts whose laughter was now subsiding. They heard the scream again the other two then recognized the voice that Jesse had previously. "Come on," Adam whispered.

Shalimar repositioned Brennan, who cried out at the unanticipated movement. "It's OK, Brennan," Jesse calmed as he ran up behind Shalimar. He squeezed Brennan's battered hand. "We're getting out of here."

They approached the opening quickly this time and exited out into the night.

"Where are we going to go?" Shalimar asked.

Adam turned and smiled. "Where there are GSA troops, there are vehicles to get them there – and this time, those vehicles should be in the form of helicopters."

Shalimar smiled at Jesse. "Do you?" she asked.

Jesse replied, "Of course."


	42. Chapter 42

Thank you to everyone who is still reading. My new puppy is a German Shepherd/Alaskan Malamute mix. I rescued him. He is less than or around a year old and is already 80 pounds! He is adorable, though. Sorry for the delay – I am terrible, I know but now I also bought a new house and have been absolutely with no time. Cassidy, Brennan, and Meg – OK guys – one day I would like to meet you. Enjoy.

Adam located what he was looking for as soon as he entered the clearing by the compound. He turned around to make certain everyone was still coming. Emma approached first with Jesse and Shalimar both managing to carry Brennan coming up from behind. Jesse looked at Adam and then past him. "Helicoptors! Oh, thank God!" Jesse exclaimed. It took everything he had not to immediately bolt over to them. Adam stopped him.

"Jesse, wait. We have to see if it is safe first." Jesse looked at Adam and nodded his head. "How?" he asked.

"Emma, can you do a broadband scan and see if you can sense anything near the woods on the other side of the choppers?" Adam asked Emma to accomplish a task he didn't really know if she could do, but it was the only way and was worth a shot.

"I don't know, Adam. I haven't been very good at noticing the beasts," Emma explained – the worry evident in her voice.

"I don't care about beasts, Emma. I care about GSA – GSA with guns. Can you try to detect them?"

"Sure," Emma said. She walked a little beyond Adam and began to concentrate. Adam took the opportunity to check on Brennan and make sure they were not being followed. Shalimar had laid Brennan down onto the ground and was caressing his face and whispering something Adam was not quite capable of hearing – no human was capable. She flashed her eyes up at Adam as he approached.

"How is he?" Adam asked as he knelt down on the ground and began assessing him again.

Shalimar wiped a tear from her cheek and shook her head to clear it. "He hasn't moved since we were inside," Shalimar whispered. She didn't mean to whisper; she was just so sad, tired, shocked, and angry that she couldn't muster much more beyond a whisper anymore.

"We'll be home soon. I promise," Adam promised. Shalimar looked up at him and searched his eyes. Here own eyes were nearly pleading with Adam to be telling the truth. She was so concerned. She wanted to be back in Sanctuary right now playing with Brennan and Jesse. But that little fantasy was not going to become a reality – at least not soon.

Shalimar and Adam broke their gaze when Brennan began a violent fit of coughing. Adam picked his shoulders up off of the ground and cradled him against his own chest. It was the most violent that he had experienced. "Brennan, don't do this!" Adam yelled. Adam was holding Brennan's chest tightly against his own to protect his lungs from damage. If Brennan's ribs were broken, this could definitely send one through his lungs. Brennan continued to heave and was coughing up a frothy blood. "What's going on?" Jesse asked as he came over to the two of them upon hearing the commotion. Emma remained in a trance. Adam looked up at Jesse as Jesse knelt down beside them. "We can't wait, Jesse. Adam looked at the choppers and back at Jesse. "You up for taking a chance?" Adam didn't like the idea of Jesse risking an encounter with the GSA but knew that he had a better chance than any of them of getting to the chopper and avoiding gunfire if he had to.

Jesse looked at Brennan. "Of course, Adam, I'll do anything!"

Adam continued to hold Brennan as his coughing fit began to subside. Brennan was awake now and whimpering in between the coughs. "Easy, Brennan, it's OK, we've got you," Adam said quietly to Brennan trying to calm him down. "We are getting out of here."

"And now," Jesse said as he looked at Adam. "OK, Adam, here is the deal. I am going to head for the closest chopper. If it looks clear and in operating condition, I am going to start it up. Shalimar, you have got to be ready to bring Brennan. Can the two of you do it?" Adam looked up at Jesse and smiled. He was so proud of this young man. He had never noticed his leadership skills before – but now – now he was proud.

"It's clear," Emma said as she quickly came up behind the group. They all looked at her. "No GSA … what's wrong? Brennan?" Emma hadn't heard Brennan's coughs but saw the bloody substance on the ground and heard his whimpers now. She watched as Shalimar carefully caressed his forehead and saw how Adam was holding him. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed as she dropped to her knees and took Brennan's face into her hands. Adam stopped her.

"Emma, we are making a run for the choppers. Brennan's out of time and so are we."

"OK, everyone, be ready," Jesse said as he took off running across the clearing.

"Watch for beasts, everyone," Adam cautioned. Shalimar's eyes went yellow and she scanned the woods line. Adam kept an eye on the compound behind them while Emma watched Jesse.

Jesse got into the first chopper without incident and began checking it for damage. "Yuck!" he exclaimed as his hands touched the controls. There was slime and drool and likely blood all over them and the seats. The beast had definitely been here. He checked the gauges and then turned it over to see if he had power. He did. "Yes!" He also had a fair amount of fuel. The chopper was big enough for all of them. He turned over the engine.

Adam heard the chopper start. "Let's go!" he yelled as he got up and pulled Brennan to his feet. He and Shalimar got him into a two-man fireman's lift and began to run across the clearing. Emma was in front.

"Come on, you guys, hurry," Jesse whispered to himself as he watched them coming toward him. "Hurry!" he yelled out the window. The chopper's blades were speeding up and he would be ready to lift within 60 seconds.

Suddenly, GSA emerged from the compound and began firing weapons at the Team. Adam and Shalimar hit the ground as they felt the bullets fly past them. Brennan took a tumble and screamed when he connected with the ground. Shalimar and Adam began crawling towards him. Emma continued to the chopper. Once she reached it, Jesse got in front of her as a shield. She gave it everything she had and sent a black wave of panic, fear and hatred in the direction of the GSA. It rolled over the top of Shal, Adam and Brennan and hit the GSA dead on. Only two were still standing and firing after Emma hit the group. She was surprised. Adam and Shalimar had grabbed Brennan and were pulling him along the ground trying to stay as low as possible. Jesse went back to the controls and Emma began single mental blasts to deter the gunmen.

Finally, Shal and Adam reached the chopper with Brennan and Emma helped them climb in. Jesse was already lifting off of the ground before Adam finished climbing in. They looked on in awe as they saw beasts coming out of the woods towards the GSA.

"Adam, what will we do with this place? How can we help them?" Shalimar asked. "They weren't all bad, you know." She couldn't help but feel something for them – they were mostly like her.

Adam had started removing Brennan's remaining clothing to get to work on his injuries. There was a pretty well stocked first aid kit in the chopper and he couldn't waste any time. Brennan's color was now a pale gray and his lips were tinted blue. His skin was hot as fire and yet clammy. "I can't worry about them, now Shalimar," Adam replied.

"Jesse, get this thing to Concentra hospital. Land on the roof. Get them on the radio and I'll get us radioed in."

"Adam, that hospital is at least 30 minutes away," Jesse replied.

"Adam, we can't go to a hospital, the GSA will be everywhere," Emma countered.

"Yes, I know, but I know a doctor there who owes Mutant X a favor – we hid his daughter for him – and besides. Mason is down there and I doubt he will be carrying forward any types of orders for a while. We should be safe."

He looked at the other members of Mutant X. "We are not through here, yet. I promise. But right now Brennan will not make it back to Sanctuary and frankly; his injuries are much too severe for me to care for. He is going to need extensive surgery and life support equipment. I don't have that at Sanctuary."

Shalimar looked back down at the compound and over at Emma. She was staring at Jesse who was in turn looking back over at Shalimar. None of them fully trusted Adam anymore and were not certain at all whether to trust him now.

There – almost done guys – or am I?


	43. Birthday chapter

Happy birthday, Meg!

Brennan was no longer breathing by the time the helicopter arrived on the pad. Dr. Jennings was waiting with a gurney in the shelter along with a number of other medical professionals. Adam jumped out of the helicopter even before it had touched down and was waving them over. "He's not breathing!" Adam yelled.

"How long down?" Jennings asked without greeting his old friend. "About four minutes," Adam replied. "We were doing mouth to mouth."

Jennings cringed when he saw Brennan's state and gave Adam a glance as if to ask what the hell happened to him. Adam looked back at him in silence.

"Let's get moving, people!" Jennings commanded and literally pushed Adam to the side. "This man is dying!" Jennings was already listening to his heart and the other s had him bagged. They were moving Brennan to the elevator before Jesse could secure the chopper. Adam raced behind Jennings and disappeared in the elevator with Brennan and the medical team. Shalimar, Emma, and Jesse looked on from inside the helicopter. Shalimar looked at the bloodstains on the floor. Emma continued to stare in the direction of the elevator. Jesse just looked at the controls and tried to keep his mind busy. They were all in various stages of shock. It was truly silent except for the hum of the chopper's engine slowing and the chop in the wind from the blades. A strobe light on the helipad kept going around providing a rhythmic light across the group.

Shalimar reached over to touch Jesse's head where he had been hit so hard earlier. She was worried that he may have a concussion or even a skull fracture. Jesse didn't move when she touched him. "You should get this looked at now that we are here," Shalimar quietly told him. Jesse looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Why don't you girls go into the hospital and keep an eye on things," Jesse suggested, breaking his silence.

Shalimar looked over at Emma questioningly. "Why?" she asked. "What are you going to do?"

"I have to get this chopper out of here. It is GSA issue and if found here, there will be nothing but questions. We need to keep it as quiet as possible that we are here if Brennan's going to have any chance at all." Jesse reasoned as he began firing up the engine again.

"Jesse, please, just leave it here," Emma reasoned. "If anyone finds it, they will not link it to us. This is a big place. Jesse, please, come with us and have your head looked at, please?"

"No, now hurry up. I don't want them in there by themselves for very long." He looked at them. "I'll be alright. I am just going to ditch this thing and I will be right back. I promise."

Shalimar and Emma knew they couldn't win this fight. They both got out and crouched as Jesse lifted the chopper. They proceeded into the hospital to find Adam.

XXXXX

Adam was helping Jennings as much as he could to stabilize Brennan. His heart had stopped twice in the elevator but miraculously started again. Jennings looked at Adam each time because he was afraid to defibrillate him. Jennings knew what type of mutation Brennan possessed and any type of use of electricity around him worried the good doctor. Jennings assessed the condition of Brennan's leg as well and called for an orthopedist to evaluate it. The medical team continued to look at Adam and each other with puzzled expressions as Brennan's injuries were revealed to them in their assessments. "Was he attacked by a wild animal?" one of the residents asked Adam.

Adam looked at Jennings and replied, "Yes, yes, he was. We were on a surveillance job in the woods – divorce – and a bear came out of the woods and just attacked him. It was awful." It was the best explanation Adam could come up with. Jennings helped him.

"Our patient is a private investigator who got a little too close to his case, it seems. Nathan, check the bullet would on his side."

"Who shot him?" Nathan asked. "The bear?"

Nathan was getting close to feeling like he needed to call the police for the safety of his patient. He had not been able to speak to Brennan about what happened and he didn't know if he was going to buy this story.

"The suspect," Adam replied. "When Brennan was attacked by the bear, the suspect heard the commotion and came out with a gun. He shot at the Bear, I think, I hope, but hit Brennan instead."

"Why is there so much water in his lungs and how did he break his leg this way?" one of the other residents inquired.

This was getting hard. Adam had been so busy stabilizing Brennan in the chopper that he did not have time to come up with a story. "After the bear left, I couldn't risk our safety with our suspect because the suspect is known to make people disappear," Adam continued, so we carried him the best we could manage." We were caught in torrential rainfall, however, and the trail we were following back to the helicopter became flooded and we ended up nearly drowning in filthy floodwaters."

It was a believable story. The rains had been awful in the mountains the past few days. All of the residents knew that and no one could make something like that up. "Poor kid," the resident replied, seemingly satisfied with the consistency in the injuries to the situation. "We need to report the gunshot to the police, though," the hospital's social worker replied. "Why don't I take you to help me do that?"

The social worker was trying to get Adam out of the room so he didn't have to continue to witness all that was being done to his friend. She didn't know that Adam was a doctor and the story he just gave would not lend itself to his being one, either. Adam looked at Jennings who motioned to him to follow her. Adam sighed and went with the social worker to continue the faced.

Emma and Shalimar had been outside the door to hear the last part of the conversation. Emma worked her magic and made the social worker believe she and Shalimar were wearing police uniforms. They approached Adam rapidly already firing questions.

"I'm officer Bancroft. What happened here?" Emma/officer asked.

Adam looked up at the two of them. He knew what was going on and played along. "It's a long story," Adam replied.

Shalimar looked at the social worker. "Why don't you let us talk to him and you can get back to other patients. We have a series of questions to ask him and the doctor as soon as he is available."

The social worker looked at the group and complied. "Thank you officers."

They watched as she proceeded back down to the ER. They all let go of the breath they were holding in. Adam looked at them. "Where's Jesse?"


End file.
